11 O DEUS, EGO AMO TE, NEC AMO TE, UT SALVES ME
Attributed to Francis Xavier. Born at the Castle Xavier, near Pampeluna, Spain, in 1506; graduated at the Paris University, where he became acquainted with Ignatius Loyola; as a Jesuit missionary visited India, Travancore, Ceylon, Malacca, and Japan; died, when near Canton, in 1552. The original of this hymn is supposed to be a Spanish sonnet. All that can be said of the Latin version is that it is probably by Xavier, or by some German Jesuit, and is at least as early as 1668.
I
II
12III
IV
V
| O God, I love Thee, not alone Because Thou savest me, And those who love not in return Are lost eternally. | | Thou art mine own, O Christ; Thine arms Embraced me on the Cross; Thou didst endure the nails, the spear, The bitter shame and loss. | | O sorrows numberless were Thine, And all were borne for me— The bloody sweat, the cruel death Of bitter agony. | | Why, therefore, should I love Thee now, O Jesus, ever blest? Not lest in hell my soul be cast, Not that in heaven it rest. | | No other hope my love inspires, And wins my heart for Thee— I only love Thee, Christ, my King, Because Thou lovest me. | |