Leftover Halloween candy languishes in its plastic pumpkin on top of the refrigerator; for the moment, the kids are satiated and I’m being good. All the sugar brings to mind a favorite hymn, “Jesus, the very thought of thee,” a few stanzas of which are here:<\/p>\n
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
\n With sweetness fills the breast;
\n But sweeter far Thy face to see,
\n And in Thy presence rest.<\/p>\nNor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
\n Nor can the memory find
\n A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
\n O Savior of mankind!<\/p>\nO Jesus, King most wonderful
\n Thou Conqueror renowned,
\n Thou sweetness most ineffable
\n In Whom all joys are found!<\/p>\nCelestial Sweetness unalloyed,
\n Who eat Thee hunger still;
\n Who drink of Thee still feel a void
\n Which only Thou canst fill.<\/p>\nO most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs
\n Which unto Thee we send;
\n To Thee our inmost spirit cries;
\n To Thee our prayers ascend.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe original Latin text is by Bernard of Clairvaux<\/a>, the great religious writer and reformer of the twelfth century, and the above translation was done by Edward Caswall<\/a>. I recently came across another translation by John Mason Neale<\/a>, Caswall’s 19th century English contemporary, which is lovely in its own right. Here’s a bit of it, picking up on the sweetness imagery:<\/p>\n
Jesu, the very thought is sweet;
\n in that dear Name all heartjoys meet;
\n But O than honey sweeter far
\n the glimpses of his Presence are.<\/p>\nNo word is sung more sweet than this;
\n no name is heard more full of bliss;
\n No thought brings sweeter comfort nigh,
\n than Jesus, Son of God most high.<\/p>\nJesu, thou sweetness, pure and blest,
\n life’s Fountain, Light of souls distress’d;
\n Surpassing all that heart requires,
\n exceeding all that soul desires.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n