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by Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179)
Translation © by Grant Hicks

O dulcissime amator
Language: Latin 
Our translations:  ENG
O dulcissime amator,
o dulcissime amplexator:
Adiuva nos custodire
virginitatem nostram.

Nos sumus orte in pulvere,
heu, heu,
et in crimine Ade.
Valde durum est contradicere
quod habet gustus pomi.
Tu erige nos, Salvator Christe.

Nos desideramus ardenter te sequi.
O quam grave nobis miseris est
te immaculatum et innocentem
regem angelorum imitari.

Tamen confidimus in te,
quod tu desideres gemmam requirere in putredine.

Nunc advocamus te, sponsum et consolatorem,
qui nos redemisti in cruce.

In tuo sanguine copulate sumus tibi
cum desponsatione,
repudiantes virum et eligentes te,
Filium Dei.

O pulcherrima forma, o suavissime odor
desiderabilium deliciarum,
semper suspiramus post te
in lacrimabili exilio.
Quando te videamus
et tecum maneamus?

Nos sumus in mundo
et tu in mente nostra,
et amplectimur te in corde
quasi habeamus te presentem.

Tu fortissimus leo rupisti celum,
descendens in aulam Virginis,
et destruxisti mortem,
edificans vitam in aurea civitate.

Da nobis societatem cum illa
et permanere in te, o dulcissime sponse,
qui abstraxisti nos de faucibus diaboli,
primum parentem nostrum seducentis.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Jodi Goble (b. 1974), "O dulcissime amator" [ soprano and piano ], from De Virginibus, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "O Sweetest Lover", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-09
Line count: 40
Word count: 168

O Sweetest Lover
Language: English  after the Latin 
O sweetest lover,
O sweetest embracer:
Help us to protect 
our virginity.

We are born of the dust,
alas, alas,
and of the transgression of Adam.
It is exceedingly hard to oppose
that which tastes of the apple.
Raise us up, Savior Christ.

We ardently desire to follow you.
O how burdensome it is for us, being wretched,
to imitate you, the flawless 
and innocent king of the angels.

Nevertheless we trust in you,
for you wish to seek the jewel amid corruption.

Now we call out to you, bridegroom and comforter,
who redeemed us on the cross.

Through your blood we are joined to you 
in betrothal,
refusing man and choosing you,
O Son of God.

O most beautiful form, O most delicious scent
Of longed-for delight,
we always sigh after you 
in tearful exile.
When may we see you 
and remain with you?

We are in the world
and you in our minds,
and we embrace you in our hearts
as if we had you with us in person.

You, most mighty lion, burst the heavens,
descending into the Virgin's courtyard,
and you destroyed death,
building life in a golden city.

Grant us communion with her
and to remain in you, O sweetest bridegroom,
who have snatched us from the jaws of the devil,
who led our first parent astray.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in Latin by Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2026-05-29
Line count: 40
Word count: 222

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