Irish, legate of the Apostolic See, Brother
Bernard called to be abbot of Clairvaux, [desiring] to find grace with
the Lord.

1. Amid the manifold _anxieties_ and _cares_ of my _heart_,[925] by the
multitude of which _my soul is sore vexed_,[926] the brothers _coming
from a far country_[927] that they may serve the Lord,[928] _thy_
letter, _and thy staff, they comfort me_:[929] the letter, as a proof of
good will; the staff, to support my weak body; the brothers, because
they serve the Lord _in a humble spirit_.[930] We have received them
all, we are pleased with all, _all_ alike _work together for good_.[931]
But as to the wish that you have expressed that two of the
brothers[932] should be sent to look out a place for you beforehand,
having taken counsel with the brothers, we have not thought it meet that
they should be _separated one from another[933] until Christ be more
fully formed in them_,[934] until they are wholly instructed in _the
battles of the Lord_.[935] When therefore they have been taught in the
school of the Holy Spirit, when they have been _endued with power from
on high_,[936] then at length the sons shall return to their father that
they may _sing the Lord's song_, not now _in a strange land_,[937] but
in their own.

2. But do you yourselves in the mean time, according to _the wisdom
given you_[938] by the Lord, look out beforehand and _prepare_
beforehand _a place for them_,[939] like the places which you have seen
here, apart from the commotions of the world. _For the time is at
hand_[940] when, by the operation of the grace of God, we shall bring
forth for you _new men_ out of the _old_.[941] _Blessed be the Name of
the Lord for ever,[942] of whose only gift it cometh that_[943] I have
sons in common with you, whom your preaching _planted_ and our
exhortation _watered_, but _God gave the increase_.[944] We beseech your
holiness to _preach the word of the Lord_[945] so that you may _give
knowledge of salvation unto His people_.[946] _For_ a double _necessity
is laid upon you_,[947] both from your office as legate and your duty as
bishop. Finally, since _in many things we offend all_,[948] and, being
often thrown among the men of this age, we are much besmirched with the
dust of the world, I commend myself to your prayers and to those of your
companions, that in His fountain of mercy Jesus Christ, himself the
fountain of pity, may deign to wash and cleanse us, who said to Peter,
_If I wash thee