1730 Now here comes The king
Entering the marble chamber.
Along with him, comes a young lady
Very richly clothed.
She was holding an infant
1735 Who was not yet one year old.
As soon as the infant saw
The holy man, and the spiteful ladies
Who were full of contempt
--Joking about The saint,
1740 Mocking him,
Tormenting him and putting him to shame--
The child started talking:
"Jehan, you have suffered so much
And have endured such great pains in your desert,
1745 That you are now acquitted.
Jesus Christ is calling you,
You must answer his order."
When the barons hear
Such a small infant tack,
1750 Even the wisest among them are dismayed.
Jehan, who was on the ground,
Does not say a word, does not move,
Not believing what he hears.
And the child starts talking again:
1755 "Jehan, do not mistrust me.
You are acquitted of your sins, undoubtedly."
But Jehan remains silent.
"Jehan, I tell you a third time,
You would do wrong not to trust me."
1760 And here comes an angel
Marvelously beautiful,
Who calls him softly
In front of all the witnesses:
Jehan, this is true,
1765 And this child is not lying.
You are now all cleansed and safe.
You have redeemed yourself,
And you have delivered, thanks to your prayers,
The soul of your ancestor."
1770 When Jehan hears these words,
He gets up, Singing the Te Deum laudamus
Because of the joy he now feels.
When the king hears this human voice,
1775 He crosses himself
And everyone present does the same.
They felt much fear,
Realizing how much shame
They have brought upon this man.
1780 The king calls him gently.
But Jehan gives no answer.
A wise man among the king's companions
Talks softly and sagaciously to the king:
"Lord," he says, "this man feels shame
1785 For being naked and exposed.
Order that he be clothed.
See how everyone mocks him now."
The king realizes the wisdom of such advice.
And immediately orders
1790 That Jehan be richly vested.
He is taken to a room,
Richly clothed
And covered with beautiful garments,
Then brought back to the king.
(The holy man then tells his story, and the queen, discovering
that he is her daughter's murderer, at first wants to take her
revenge. But the king refuses:)
1856 "Lady, I will certainly do no such thing!
I saw how this noble man
Has been blessed by God
In a way that indeed proves him innocent.
1860 And the angel has also proved it,
Through his bright appearance.
I know this for certain:
Since God has forgiven him,
He will give back
1865 The one for whom your heart grieves.
I firmly believe it,
And I will now have it demonstrated."
The king has everything prepared.
They leave very early the following morning.
1870 The king takes the queen along,
As well as his barons and his household.
They look through the forest
Until they find the thicket
Where Jehan had succumbed
1875 To the Devil's temptation.
The king orders that the thicket be cut,
And they now come to the meadow.
The king goes there
And calls for Jehan:
1880 "Lord," he says, "do not hide the truth:
Is this the place where you lived?"
"Yes, indeed." "And where is the well
Into which you threw my daughter?"
Jehan takes him to the bush
1885 Where he committed his evil act,
And asks that it be cleared.
They cut and prune the bush
And remove the thicket
So that the well becomes visible.
1890 Jehan wisely tells the king:
"Lord," he says, "go now
And ask your people
To get down on their knees.
Pray to the Lord, who is good and forgiving,
1895 That He hear me, if such be His will,
And that He give us back the maiden
For whom you are grieving."
All get down on their knees,
And lament loudly.
1900 Jehan starts his prayer,
Weeping and sighing,
And blows three times over the well,
Then crosses himself
As the Holy Spirit inspires him to do.
1905 He recites a short prayer,
Then lifts up his head,
And asks the king:
"What is the name of the maiden,
On whose account I had to do penance?"
1910 "Fair lord, her name was Sabina."
By this very name,
Jehan now calls her,
He who thought himself condemned.
But God hears him from heaven,
1915 For God hears everyone who adores Him.
He is about to honor greatly the hermit.
The maiden answers,
So clearly that the king can hear her,
And so can the queen and our noble man:
1920 "By God, who is calling my name?"
"It is he whom the Holy Spirit inspires
And who threw you here so wrongly.
I have often grieved over it."
"Lord, forget your grief,
1925 And my God be praised,
Who assisted me in His love for you,
In such a way that I enjoy every possible bliss.
I am in beautiful company:
Angels are with me all day long,
1930 And so are martyrs, virgins and confessors.
All day long I know joy
As if I were in Paradise.
Through your action, this came to me."
"Maiden, come forward!
1935 It is your mother's deepest wish.
I ask you, in the name of the Father,
The Son and the Holy Spirit,
Not to delay any longer.
Come out from this well."
1940 "Lord, I will go back to daylight,
According to your wishes."
She now appears.
They help her come out of the well,
And here she is, the same as before,
1945 When Satan took her
And carried her away from her chamber.
Her body has not changed,
And her vestment has not altered.
She is as bright as a young rose.
1950 When her mother sees her so beautiful,
She weeps and kisses her dearly.
The king tells his barons:
"You have seen the great miracle
That God has performed on account
1955 Of this holy man whom we mocked,
When we brought him toToulouse
And took him for an animal.
We must now celebrate him,
Make him known and honor him,
1960 For God loves him dearly.
He showed it today
When He gave him the power to resurrect
The maiden who stayed in this well for fifteen years.
She suffered no harm and no change.
1965 Let us ask him for his pity and pardon."
"Lord, you are right"
They all get down on their knees, hands clasped,
And so does the king before everyone.
They softly ask for his mercy,
1970 And Jehan sweetly forgives them.
Blessing them, he grants their request.
God has granted Jehan his reward.
A horse is now prepared
They want Jehan to mount.
1975 But he says that he will stay in the forest
To complete his penance.
He fears the world and its temptations.
"Do not say that," the king tells him.
"He who sows little also harvests little.
1980 Here, you would save but one soul,
But in the world, you could save a thousand
And could give counsel to the sinners.
When the truth is known
About the miracle that Our Lord has performed for you,
1985 Everyone will readily listen to your preaching
And obey your commands.
God wants you to show your wisdom."
Realizing that the king is right,
Jehan agreed to their request.
1990 They all returned to Toulouse,
Joyfully taking the maiden along.
Everyone was most anxious
To please our good man.
And God honored him in such a way
1995 That, when they entered the city,
All the church bells started ringing
On their own, with no one to pull them.
The whole city was in awe.
The king, who was very wise,
2000 Sent a messenger
To let the good news be known.
From the churches and the chapels,
They all came, crying and weeping,
In long processions
2005 Before the holy man, who comes to live among them.
They were all singing Gloria laus .
When Jehan arrived in the city,
He was greeted with great joy.
His manners remained simple, he prayed incessantly.
2010 Now hear how God honored him.
While he was walking through the main street,
A madman arrived, all kicking and jumping.
No one could contain him.
When the holy man saw him,
2015 He made the sign of the cross on him.
The Devil resented that so much
That he immediately left the man's body,
With a noise as great as that of a storm.
The people felt much fear,
2020 But the holy man appeased them.
They then led him to the main church,
Where a beautiful service was held.
Jehan was about to become the bishop,
As you will soon hear.
2025 The bishop, the clerics,
The king and his knights
Have begged Jehan so much
That he stays in their city.
And they are now blessed
2030 By the many miracles he accomplishes.
Everyone, lay or cleric,
Suffering from illness,
Was cured at once
When touching Jehan or his garment.
2035 Great became his renown.
Jehan asked for a desk.
He liked to study
And to write saints' lives.
And this most admirable man
2040 Thus recounted glorious stories
As had never been heard or read before.
Hence his name of Jehan Paulus,
For no one surpassed him
In divine knowledge,
2045 Since Saint Paul himself.
Jehan remained two years in the city.
His good deeds must be remembered.
On the third year, God decided
That the bishop of Toulouse was to die.
2050 On account of his pure heart,
Jehan was everyone's first choice.
And the clergy prayed so much
That he was indeed given the highest position'
And received the crosier and the miter.
2055 And it pleased God our Lord
That he was thus honored.
God knew Jehan's mode of life
And how he saved many sinners
Taken by sudden death.
2060 He taught the way
To reach paradise
And to avoid lust and pride.
Let us pray to this blessed man
That he pray to God for us
2065 So that we all be in Paradise.
May the Lord Jesus Christ grant us this. Amen.
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