Greco-Christian stream·Beguine Mystics·The Strofische Gedichten (Stanzaic Poems) of Hadewijch·Section VI

Section VI

Five Songs (XXVI-XXX) covering the central doctrinal heart of the cycle. The five together include three of Hadewijch's most-cited and most-doctrinally-rich Songs: the Queen of Sheba Song (XXVI), the orewoet-is-a-rich-fief Song (XXVIII), and the long Marian Song XXIX, in which the entire history of salvation is read through the figure of Mary as the gate by which Love-hidden-in-the-Father's-bosom flowed down to humanity:

• Song XXVI — Though day and time are saddened — God be blessed; one shall soon better behold. Beloved, that you are so far from me, and on you stands all my delight — that is right that my heart should grieve. The Queen of Sheba central stanzas: Sheba sought Solomon for wisdom; when she found her sinne taken, she gave him all the gifts she had; for if she had dispersed any of it in strange ways among the poor people, the high wonder would have been kept from her. Closes with the bold final line: Those who thus conquer in storm of Love — those are the right heroes; and those who grumble and do not fulfill — it is right they be scolded.
• Song XXVII — Birds and people may lament the summer's turning, but those who love have other reason. The Love-conquers-Love stanza: He who conquers Love is himself spent; thus he is awakened. The famous old/young stanza: Love gives to the young who knows not, and lets the noble old wander the misery — where young and yokel never knew Love. Closes with the dramatic image: He who works the works of Love openly, the lover says, "Love, that you may be Love" — no more does he spare sense or spirit, strength or marrow or heart's blood; for in Love's judgment is read: the deeper wounded, the more softly healed**.
• Song XXVIII — The birds are now glad whom winter constrained. The famous orewoet-is-a-rich-fief stanza: Orewoet of Love — that is a rich fief; he who would know it should ask her nothing else. Those that were two at first — she makes one. The high-Love-school stanza unfolds the catalogue: Love makes the strong weak / and the sick all well; makes the upright lame / and heals the wounded; makes the unknowing wise on the wide way / where many must wander. Closes with: His sinne is highly risen who has received Love's strength, so that in Love's strength his judgment shall read.
• Song XXIX — The Marian Song. The longest of all the Strofische Gedichten and one of the most theologically rich. The entire history of salvation read through Mary as the gate by which Love-hidden-in-the-Father's-bosom flowed out. The famous flooding stanza: Then the mountain flowed to the deep dale; the dale flowed evenly high to the hall; then was the castle conquered, where long the strife had been begun. The prophet-catalogue: Moses, Solomon, Tobit, Isaiah, Daniel, Job, Jeremiah, Ezekiel — they saw visions, they spoke fair parables of what God yet should do; but in my sinne, the clear free Love stayed un-experienced by them, for they had their habits as other men. The Mary-doctrine: but Mary spoke nothing else — now let God provide what comes of it. David thought-on God, and that comforted him; he lacked his spirit. Yet he is called strong in works; but Mary wrought stronger works. Yes, he had perhaps the most — except Mary, who wholly received him, God and man and young man. Closes with the program for the soul to be a Marian: Free humble sinne, would you wholly all Love, as Love herself lives — turn from all and forsake; so shall your heart become wide and deep, so shall come to you the conduit that flowed to Mary without measure.
• Song XXX — The Verliese ic ochte winne (Whether I Lose or Win) Song. I have Love begun — let the strangers begrudge what they cannot take from me. I have Love begun. The Reason-against-Love stanza in the middle: Could Love satisfy me, I would have joined her, so that all my veins blazed. Then came Reason and made me see: look where you would join, and what yet must happen to you. The famous Reason hurt me stanza: Then Reason hurt me; it seemed to me a feud that she took from me the readied which Love had herself given me — yet Reason made me live the truth. Closes with the doctrinal: One may by Reason win right fruition of Love, where Reason may clearly know that one has done enough to both — and then right fruition of Love takes leave from Reason.

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Song XXVI

XXVI.

Though day and time are saddened —
of this be God blessed.
One shall soon better behold.
Beloved, that you are so far from me,
and on you stands all my delight,
is right grieving of my heart.
That is well-just my heart's light,
by which I should live
— wandering after you all.
See what I must do:
to me is left not one thing.

Ah, what should my Beloved be but all yours —
that I do not fully have you, that is to me;
and may not fully give-enough.
Right Love, fier and free —
what one gives you that is something,
were a great fault to you;
for you will be all Love,
with heart and with sinne,
and with whole soul.
Those who think to love
without beginning
— they were ever the falling ones.

The Queen of Sheba
followed Solomon close —
that was to seek wisdom.
When she had found it, Yes,
her sinne were taken
and she lessened her smelling.
She gave him all,
and the gifts she stole
— whatever she had within.
Both heart and sinne;
nothing was left in her;
all was swallowed up in Love.

It is right she had given him all.
Had she dispersed any in strange ways
among the poor people,
the high wonder would have been kept from her.
Now she became all rubbed-down in Love
— which many people still lack.
They take too soon
all their enough
among the comrades.
Therefore one shall late
of them, of Love's deed,
have wonder to tell.

Where one would set himself to free Love
and not fail in the way,
and cleave to Love wholly,
and suffer her miserable strokes —
there one may speak the wonder of wonders;
for one sees them so give themselves up,
as for going wholly through
without any sparing,
yet not enough sufficing Love —
for anxiety of death
that they should let go
the great greeting of Love.

Ah, thus all-lost in Love's might
— yes, and then all repaid Love's lease,
as rightly one altogether should —
that is a fairest possession
and one unconquered new might,
and well what God altogether would.
For the rightest giving-over to Love
is the failing within,
for they cannot wholly fulfill;
and that to them is soon spent,
in receiving the high Love;
thus they come outside the spirits.

When the mighty Reason of Love opens up
and shows her great goodness
that she is by nature
— whether one does her enough in Love,
that she must repay all of it —
this awakens the creatures
and makes them stand up,
and all embraces
in hearty pleasures,
and promises them a kingdom
without any likeness
in eternal joys.

Those who thus conquer
in the storm of Love
— those are the right heroes;
and those who grumble
and do not fulfill —
it is right that they be scolded.

Song XXVII

XXVII.

One may, by the short days,
mark the summer's turning.
That birds and people may lament —
but those who love have other reason.
For to them it is to lament all else
that one is so cruel to Love.
Her rich teaching is sorely disturbed,
where one should be exalted by it.
That she be lamented by the highest troth —
and with Love must she behold us.

Many a high tiding has us
made understand of Love
— that she is mighty over all,
and has all embraced
and binds all that lives.
Who has Love but they whom she gives to herself?
He to whom she gives anything may receive it.
Yet shall we be with fair service subject to her,
and beseech the mighty Love
that she make her power known to us.

It is a very fair prayer
to pray for high Love's might.
But to whom she gives Love after Love's habit,
she throws into such a confinement
that he may no more escape.
He who conquers Love is himself spent;
thus is he awakened;
and one whom she gives to feed
— she consumes all his in new chase;
so he learns by Love's might
peace-of-old to win,
and to know Love's cost in misery.

That misery I know by counsel
and not by practicing.
Whomever Love has long since burdened with knowing —
how grievously he looks at himself.
That is to him small, and Love so great,
and the joy that Love first offered him,
and the gladness when he was a child.
Love gives to the young who knows not,
and lets the noble old wander the misery —
where young and yokel never knew Love.

You young ones — you have much lost
if you lose your childish youth.
Then you live old, Love in torment,
where you now might live young
and in gladness of free Love
when I am all Love's, and Love all mine.
That is now all your duty.
This gladness little exalts the wise-old
— for they know the cord of Love's years,
where one shall spend and spare.

There is hardly any yokel so silly
that he does not know when he shall
win his goods or spend his bait.
Though we have the misfortune
that we will be as a child
— all loved without cost in joys —
this is what is now ours all.
Now let us empty Love's hall toward the dale;
beseech Love that she lead us
in her ways and in her high preparation.

I do not scold what we gladly take
of sweet Love's success,
but those who would for Love deny their Beloved
— that never does them good.
And of this we may be sure:
those who their Beloved for Love love-fine,
both old and wise,
unless haste or light-buying-wavering do them harm,
so may they be certain:
the deeper drowned, the higher risen.

Those who do the works of Love openly,
the lover says, Love, that you may be Love —
through you he no more spares sinne nor spirit,
strength nor marrow nor heart's blood.
For in Love's judgment is read:
the deeper wounded, the more softly healed.

Song XXVIII

XXVIII.

The birds are now glad
whom the winter constrained.
In a short time, deo gratias of Love,
the fier hearts who their pains
have endured long
on the trust of Love —
she has so rich a might,
she shall give them salt
above all sinne.

He who, of high Love,
would receive all Love,
shall in every sinne
gladly stand after that;
that he the strongest death
of Love would undertake,
and always equally bold —
that what noble Love commands
he shrink not from,
but is ready to do.

Ah, what shall happen to him
who lives after Love's counsel?
For he shall see no one
who understands his need.
One shall, with strange eyes,
show him strange countenance;
for no one shall know
what need he endures,
before he hightens his need
in orewoet of Love.

Orewoet of Love
— that is a rich fief.
And he who would know it
should ask her nothing else.
Those that were two at first
— she makes them one.
Of this I bear the truth:
she makes that what is sweet, sour;
and the strangers, near neighbors;
and she brings the low high.

She makes the strong weak,
and the sick all well.
She makes the upright lame,
and heals the wounded.
She makes the unknowing
come the wide way wide,
where many must wander.
She makes him know all
that one shall learn
in high Love's school.

In high Love's school
one learns orewoet;
for she brings into wandering
those who knew themselves well.
He who at first had misfortune
— him she gives success,
and makes him master of that
whereof Love herself is lady.
Of this I am well sure,
and turn no more aside.

Those who love and suffer not
— I give them good counsel:
if they can do no more,
let them at least pray her grace,
and serve with belief
in high Love's counsel,
and think: it may well be
that Love's might is so great.
He is very near to death
who cannot recover.

His sinne is high risen
who has received Love's strength,
so that in Love's strength
his judgment shall read.

Song XXIX

XXIX.

For high troth's Love,
all my sinne are
in manifold pain.
My heavy bearing
without lamenting
becomes well in show to me
— he for whom I lament
and suffer so much sorrow,
he has made me understand
that with high Love I shall escape.

Shall high Love
preserve my sinne,
I am sure of this
by understanding within:
that the lover of our Love
is well perfected.
For all his deed is without measure;
no satisfying-supply suffices him before Love.
That well recognize
those who bear high Love, and no others.

Those who bear high Love
shall little complain,
for grief passes over them.
They shall be as the wise,
ever in deep humility
ready in high Love
— where Love commands, whether far or near,
in dying, in living, in whatever it be,
in freedom without fear.
That high Love first made plain to us.

Whatever God ever granted us
— there was no one who could
understand right Love,
until Mary the good,
with deep humility,
had embraced Love.
First she was wild; then she became tame.
She gave us a lamb in place of a lion.
She made the darkness clear
that had been dark many a year.

The Father from the beginning
had his Son, Love,
hidden in his bosom,
before Mary
with deep humility, yes,
hiddenly unlocked him for us.
Then the mountain flowed to the deep dale;
the dale flowed evenly high to the hall;
then was the castle conquered
where long the strife had begun.

Each prophet made us
fair promises beforehand
that he was rich and fair
who should bring us peace
of Love and mighty besides.
Moses with Solomon
praised all his strength specially,
his wisdom and his wonder.
Tobit, Isaiah, Daniel,
Job, Jeremiah, Ezekiel.

They saw visions;
they spoke fair parables
of what God yet should do.
But in my sinne,
the clear free Love
stayed un-experienced by them,
for they had their habits as other men —
now here, now there, now off, now on.
But Mary spoke nothing else;
now may God provide what comes of it.

David thought of God,
and that comforted him;
and he lacked his spirit.
Yet he is called strong in works;
but Mary wrought stronger works.
Yes, he had perhaps the most —
except Mary, who wholly received him,
God and man and young man.
There might one first know
Love's clear work.

That was by deep zeal
that the great thing happened to her:
that the noble Love
was let out, given to that noble woman
of high price
— but in over-flowing measure.
For she would no other thing, nor was she other;
so she had all whereof each took his reading.
Thus has she set the conduit
where it stands ready for every humble heart.

The prophets and all their children
sacrificed sheep and bullocks.
That was their sacrament.
They had themselves anointed with the blood.
Their sacraments were figures —
until Mary the high present,
the Son was sent by the Father.
Now come to the great meal all together —
the wedding-feast is ready —
those whom Love finds adorned in the bridal-garment.

Of our friends the prophets
their virtue may not be forgotten.
It was fair and clear.
They suffered miserable being
and great bitterness
of the Law many a year.
Their sacraments were figures
that before this they would set down.
One may well thank them
though I say that to Mary it was all otherwise.

Humble free sinne,
would you wholly all Love
as Love herself lives —
I counsel you by troth:
though you suffer sorrow,
forsake all and give up;
so shall your heart become wide and deep;
so shall come to you the conduit that flowed
to Mary without measure.
Pray high troth that she let it flow to you.

For high troth is commanded
all those who through deep humility wander —
that she shall lead them through
where Mary is with Love one in all.

Song XXX

XXX.

One must, at all seasons,
be glad of Love,
and follow her in every direction,
in every road where she leads.
One must to her live gladly,
and have sorrow then so well-ready.

Love must grant me —
I have Love begun.
That the strangers begrudge me,
they cannot take from me.
I have Love begun;
God grant that I may suffer for her.

Since I gave myself in Love
— whether I lose or win —
so it stands in my sinne
that I will thank her for all things;
whether I lose or win,
I will stand in her constraint.

He who would please Love
shall not complain of himself
in his manifold bearing
that he must bear for Love.
He shall not complain of himself;
for Love-suffering — that is all success.

He who would love with troth
must behold virtue
and build the works.
Would he live in Love's bond?
That one might behold
in him who first brought Love into the land.

So near I came to Love
that I began to know
all the gain
of those who give themselves wholly to Love.
When I might know that,
ran in me what to me had been kept.

Could Love satisfy me,
I would join her,
so that all my veins blazed.
Then came Reason and made me see:
Look where you would join,
and what yet must happen to you.

Love made me rich first;
she doubled my sinne
and showed me all the gain.
Why does she now flee like a truant?
She doubled my sinne;
now I wander in the strange land.

It is very heavy to undertake
to go from Love into Reason.
Yet it stands there to receive:
Love wholly shall one win,
from Love into Reason to go —
that is unheard-of and too heavy to sinne.

Love went-on drawing me with Love.
It seems to me now it was a fading.
When I would Love all summon,
Reason said: Would you now wish?
It was, of Love, a fading.
Remember that you are still a human.

Then Reason hurt me;
it seemed to me a feud
that she took from me the readied
which Love herself had given me;
it seemed to me a feud;
yet Reason made me live the truth.

The high caritas
that Love showed me in countenance,
when she without measure
took my heart wholly to herself —
what she meant in that countenance,
she has now shown me a portion.

Though Love has been angered with me,
yet I must follow her,
for she has swallowed up
the soul out of my heart's ground.
I will wholly follow her,
however Reason has wounded me.

One may by Reason win
right fruition of Love,
where Reason may clearly know
that one has done enough to both —
right fruition of Love
takes leave from Reason then.

God give to all who love
that they win Reason's grace,
where they may know
how one shall enjoy Love.
At Reason's grace winning
lies all our Love's perfection.

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