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Primary sourceBook1907

The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi · 1907

A 1907 English translation of Francis's own writings, including appendices such as the Rule for the Poor Ladies.

This book gathers Francis's own writings and related testimony, offering direct access to his words and how contemporaries viewed his order.

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The Writings of St. Francis of AssisiPDF · 184 pages
The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi, English translation, 1907.

About this source

What it is

This 1907 book presents the writings of Francis of Assisi newly translated into English, based on an earlier French edition. It includes appendices such as the Rule of the Poor Ladies, a prayer for poverty, a chapter on perfect joy, and a testimony about the early Franciscan friars by Jacques de Vitry.

Why it matters

This translation reflects renewed scholarly interest in Francis's original texts in the early twentieth century. Including the testimony of an outside observer, Jacques de Vitry, alongside Francis's own words helps readers compare his self-image with how contemporaries saw him and his followers.

Look closer

  • Why might translators keep returning to retranslate the same original texts over time?
  • What does including an outsider's testimony alongside Francis's own writing add to our understanding?
  • What questions would you want answered about how faithfully this translation represents the original?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Francis on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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