A Revelation of Divine Love: Julian of Norwich

This original work began as a personal Lenten devotional discipline. It is a rendering of Julian’s 14th century work into English contemporary with 21st century North America. I use the term rendering rather than translation, because it is not a scholarly work. There are a number of the latter extant, especially The Complete Julian of Norwich, by Fr. John-Julian, OJN, published by Paraclete. This rendering is a work of simple devotion for the benefit of average folk, Mother Julian’s even-Christians and their contemporaries. It is based upon the Sloane Manuscript, No. 2499 from the early 17th century, in the British Museum, with reference to Marion Glasscoe’s 1976 edition of Sloane, and Fr. John-Julian’s Paraclete translation of 2009. The text of this rendering is my own, however, based upon my own encounter with Julian’s writing.

I have attempted to render the text in the most modern English possible. Sometimes I have retained an earlier cadence or syntax when it helps better to portray Julian’s own style. But it is designed to have the same simple impact upon the modern ear that Julian’s earlier English would have had in her day.