Wisdom's Watch Upon the HoursWritten by Dominican preacher and mystic Bl. Henry Suso (c. 1300-1366), Horologium Sapientiae, or Wisdom's Watch upon the Hours, was one of the most successful religious writings of its time. Early translations of this literary masterpiece appeared in many languages, including French, Dutch, Italian, English, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Hungarian, and possibly Polish. Now the first translation based on Pius Kunzle's critical Latin edition is offered to the English-speaking world. Essentially a dialogue between the author, who was by nature and calling a romantic, and Divine Wisdom, the Watch tells of Suso's service to and espousal of Wisdom, his "most cruel bride", with a charm reminiscent of contemporary chivalric romance literature. The Watch's many readers doubtless esteemed it for its devotional fervor and for the solutions Suso offers to the problems inseparable from a sincere Christian life. He teaches that a devotion of sharing in the Savior's self-sacrifice is the path to spiritual perfection, as well as a consolation for the soul amid life's cares. Based on his own shrewd observations on shunning "sensory forms and earthly imaginings", Suso develops the essential elements of ascetic and mystical theology. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adorned adversities afflicted beauty beloved Bernard of Clairvaux Bihlmeyer bitter blessed Boethius Book Book of Wisdom breasts Breviary's Cant chapter Christ consolation death delight desire devotion Disciple divine grace divine Wisdom Dominican Breviary Dream of Scipio earth earthly Ecclus Eckhart Eternal Wisdom evil Exultet eyes faith Father fear German give glory God's grace happy hear heart heaven heavenly Heinrich Seuse Henri Suso holy honor human Ibid joyful Kärcher Künzle Latin living look Lord lovable lover Meditations Meister Eckhart mercy mind mother mourn Ovid Passion perfect praise prayer present pseudo-Dionysius receive rejoice sacrament salvation sapiential books seek sinners sins sorrow soul spiritual spouse suffer Suso Suso's sweet sweetest sweetly teaching things Thomas Aquinas tion torments tribulations truly truth turn Watch weeping wish words wounds wretched