S. Bernardi Abbatis et Ecclesiæ Doctoris.

Hæc illum, qui primus formátus est a Deo pater orbis terrárum, cum solus esset creátus, custodívit, et edúxit illum a delícto suo, et dedit illi virtútem continéndi ómnia. Ab hac ut recéssit injústus in ira sua, per iram homicídii fratérni depériit. Propter quem, cum aqua deléret terram, sanávit íterum sapiéntia, per contemptíbile lignum justum gubérnans. Hæc et in consénsu nequítiæ cum se natiónes contulíssent, scivit justum, et conservávit sine queréla Deo, et in fílii misericórdia fortem custodívit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone, And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things. But when the unjust went away from her in his anger, he perished by the fury wherewith he murdered his brother. For whose cause, when water destroyed the earth, wisdom healed it again, directing the course of the just by contemptible wood. Moreover when the nations had conspired together to consent to wickedness, she knew the just, and preserved him without blame to God, and kept him strong against the compassion for his son.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Hæc justum a pereúntibus ímpiis liberávit fugiéntem, descendénte igne in Pentápolim: quibus in testimónium nequítiæ fumigabúnda constat desérta terra, et incérto témpore fructus habéntes árbores, et incredíbilis ánimæ memória stans figméntum salis. Sapiéntiam enim prætereúntes, non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorárent bona, sed et insipiéntiæ suæ reliquérunt homínibus memóriam, ut in his, quæ peccavérunt, nec latére potuíssent. Sapiéntia autem hos, qui se obsérvant, a dolóribus liberávit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

She delivered the just man who fled from the wicked that were perishing, when the fire came down upon Pentapolis: Whose land for a testimony of their wickedness is desolate, and smoketh to this day, and the trees bear fruits that ripen not, and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an incredulous soul. For regarding not wisdom, they did not only slip in this, that they were ignorant of good things, but they left also unto men a memorial of their folly, so that in the things in which they sinned, they could not so much as lie hid. But wisdom hath delivered from sorrow them that attend upon her.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Elucébat in eo humílitas, misericórdia, benígnitas: contemplatióni autem sic addíctus erat, ut vix sénsibus, nisi ad offícia pietátis, uterétur: in quibus tamen prudéntiæ laude excellébat. Quo in stúdio occupátus, Genuénsem, ac Mediolanénsem, aliósque episcopátus oblátos recusávit, proféssus se tanti offícii múnere indígnum esse. Abbas factus Claravallénsis, multis in locis ædificávit monastéria, in quibus præclára Bernárdi institútio ac disciplína diu víguit. Romæ, sanctórum Vincéntii et Anastásii monastério ab Innocéntio secúndo Papa restitúto præfécit abbátem illum, qui póstea Eugénius tértius Summus Póntifex fuit, ad quem étiam librum misit de Consideratióne.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

He was a burning and shining light of lowliness, mercifulness, and kindness. His concentration of thought was such, that he hardly used his senses except to do good works, in which latter he acted with admirable wisdom. Thus occupied, he refused the Bishoprics of Genoa, Milan, and others, which were offered to him, declaring that he was unworthy of so high a sphere of duty. Being made Abbot of Clairvaux (in 1115,) he built monasteries in many places, wherein the excellent rules and discipline of Bernard long flourished. When Pope Innocent II., (in 1138,) restored the monastery of St. Vincent and St. Anastasius at Rome, Bernard set over it the Abbot who was afterwards the Supreme Pontiff Eugene III., and who is also the same to whom he addressed his book upon Consideration.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Multa prætérea scripsit, in quibus appáret, eum doctrína pótius divínitus trádita, quam labóre comparáta, instrúctum fuísse. In summa virtútum laude exorátus a máximis princípibus de eórum componéndis controvérsiis, et de ecclesiásticis rebus constituéndis, sǽpius in Itáliam venit. Innocéntium item secúndum Pontíficem Máximum in confutándo schísmate Petri Leónis, cum apud imperatórem et Henrícum Angliæ regem, tum in concílio Pisis coácto, egrégie adjúvit. Dénique tres et sexagínta annos natus, obdormívit in Dómino, ac miráculis illústris, ab Alexándro tértio Papa inter sanctos relátus est. Pius vero octávus Póntifex Máximus ex sacrórum Rítuum Congregatiónis consílio sanctum Bernárdum universális Ecclésiæ Doctórem declarávit et confirmávit, nec non Missam et Offícium de Doctóribus ab ómnibus recitári jussit, atque indulgéntias plenárias quotánnis in perpétuum órdinis Cisterciénsium ecclésias visitántibus die hujus sancti festo concéssit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

At the same time that the Hyades come bringing rain, the sun daily riseth higher in the heavens: thus do we, seeing the learning of the Doctors, and having our minds saturated with the rain of preaching, grow warmer in faith. And when the hot heavens shine fiery over her, the wet earth tendeth to harvest: thus do we, when the fire of holy learning burneth bright in our heart, tend to bring forth the fruit of good works. When, day by day, we learn more of the knowledge of heavenly things, a spring-time of inward light is opening within us, a new Sun is irradiating our mind, and, as we know Him better by the words of His Teachers, He doth daily Himself shine the more therein. As the end of the world groweth nearer, the knowledge of things heavenly will grow greater, and continue to develop with time.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Ergo ad níhilum valet sal infatuátum, nisi ut mittátur foras, et calcétur ab homínibus. Non ítaque calcátur ab homínibus, qui pátitur persecutiónem: sed qui persecutiónem timéndo infatuátur. Calcári enim non potest nisi inférior: sed inférior non est, qui quamvis córpore multa in terra sustíneat, corde tamen fixus in cœlo est.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, to be trodden under foot of and men. He that suffereth persecution is not thus trodden under foot of men; he that in good sooth is trodden under foot of men, is he which, through fear of persecution, hath lost his savour. No man can be trodden upon, unless he be beneath him which treadeth upon him; but he cannot be beneath his tormentor, who, suffer he how grievously soever in his body upon earth, hath still his heart in heaven.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Vos estis lumen mundi. Quómodo dixit supérius sal terræ, sic nunc dicit lumen mundi. Nam neque supérius ista terra accipiénda est, quam pédibus corpóreis calcámus: sed hómines qui in terra hábitant, vel étiam peccatóres, quorum condiéndis et exstinguéndis putóribus apostólicum salem Dóminus misit. Et hic mundum non cœlum et terram, sed hómines, qui sunt in mundo, vel díligunt mundum, opórtet intélligi, quibus illuminándis Apóstoli missi sunt. Non potest cívitas abscóndi super montem pósita: id est, fundáta super insígnem magnámque justítiam, quam signíficat étiam ipse mons, in quo dísputat Dóminus.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Ye are the light of the world. They whom the Lord hath, just above, called the salt of the earth, the same doth He now call the light of the world. By the earth, whereof they were said to be the salt, we have not understood to be signified that earth whereupon we walk with our bodily feet, but the men which dwell upon the earth, or sinners, for the sweetening and correction of whose stinking corruption the Lord hath sent His Apostles, as it were, as so much salt. And so here also, by the world we are to understand, not the heavens and the earth, but the men which are in the world, or which love the world for the enlightening of whom the Apostles have been sent. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid - that is, set upon the heights of the same plain and great righteousness, whereof the mountain upon the which the Lord taught was itself a figure.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.