The Praises of the Virtues

by Saint Francis of Assisi

Hail, Queen Wisdom! The Lord save you,

with your sister, pure, holy Simplicity.
Lady Holy Poverty, God keep you,
with your sister, holy Humility.
Lady Holy Love, God keep you,
with your sister, holy Obedience.
All holy virtues,
God keep you, God from Whom you proceed and come.
In all the world there is not a person
who can possess any one of you without first dying to themselves.
The person who practices one and does not offend against the others
possesses all;
The person who offends against one,
possesses none and violates all.
Each and every one of you
puts vice and sin to shame.
Holy Wisdom puts satan
and all his wiles to shame.
Pure and holy Simplicity puts
all the learning of this world, all natural wisdom, to shame.
Holy Poverty puts to shame
all greed, avarice, and all the anxieties of this life.
Holy Humility puts pride to shame,
and all the inhabitants of this world and all that is in the world.
Holy Love puts to shame all the temptations
of the devil and the flesh and all natural fear.
Holy Obedience puts to shame
all natural and selfish desires.
It mortifies our lower nature
and makes it obey the spirit and our fellow people.
Obedience subjects a person
to everyone on earth,
And not only to people,
but to all the beasts as well and to the wild animals,
So that they can do what they like with the person,
as far as God allows them.

-Saint Francis of Assisi

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