VISION I.
1 Against filthy and proud thoughts;
20 also the neglect of Hermas in chastising his children.
HE who had bred me up sold a
certain young maid at Rome;
whom when I saw many years
after, I remembered her, and
began to love her as a sister.
It happened some time afterwards,
that I saw her washing in the river
Tyber; and I reached out my hand
unto her, and brought her out of
the river,
2 And when I saw her I thought
with myself, saying, How happy
should I be if I had such a wife,
both for beauty and manners.
This I thought with myself; nor
did I think any thing more. But
not long after, as I was walking,
and musing on these thoughts, I
began to honour this creature of
God, thinking with myself; how
noble and beautiful she was.
3 And when I had walked a little,
I fell asleep; and the spirit
caught me away, and carried me
through a certain place towards
the right hand, through which no
man could pass. It was a place
among rocks, very steep, and
unpassable for water.
4 When I was past this place,
I came into a plain; and there
falling down upon my knees, I
began to pray unto the Lord, and
to confess my sins.
5 And as I was praying, the
heaven was opened, and I saw the
woman which I had coveted,
saluting me from heaven, and
saying, Hermas, hail! and I looking
upon her, answered, Lady, what
dost thou do here? She answered
me, I am taken up hither to accuse
thee of sin before the Lord.
6 Lady, said I, wilt thou
convince me? No, said she: but
hear the words which I am about
to speak unto thee. God who
dwelleth in heaven, and hath made
all things out of nothing, and
hath multiplied them for his holy
church's sake, is angry with thee
because thou hast sinned against
me.
7 And I answering said unto
her, Lady, if I have sinned against
thee, tell me where, or in what
place, or when did I ever speak
an unseemly or dishonest word
unto thee?
8 Have I not always esteemed
thee as a lady? Have I not always
reverenced thee as a sister? Why
then dost thou imagine these
wicked things against me?