O virga ac diadema
purpure regis,
que es in clausura tua
sicut lorica:
Tu frondens floruisti
in alia vicissitudine
quam Adam omne genus humanum
produceret.
Ave, ave de tuo ventre
alia vita processit
qua Adam filios suos denudaverat.
O flos, tu non germinasti de rore
nec de guttis pluvie,
nec aer desuper to volavit,
sed divina claritas
in nobilissima virga te produxit.

O branch and diadem
of the kings purple,
you who are in your enclosure
like a breastplate:
Burgeoning, you blossomed
after another fashion than Adam
gave rise to the whole human race.
Hail hail from your womb
came another life
of which Adam had stripped his sons.
O flower, you did not spring from tew
nor from drops of rain
nor did the air fly over you
but the divine radiance
brought you forth on a most noble branch
O branch God had foreseen your flowering
on the first day
of his creation
and he made you for his word.
As a golden matrix
O praiseworthy Virgin.

Translations from the CD "Vision,
the music of Hildegard von Bingen"
Angel records, Capitol Music Inc.