and bitter qualities rejoice in their son, understand, in the sweat, and both of them give to it their power, virtue and life, and stuff it like a greedy gormandizing hog, so that it soon comes to grow full and swelled: For the astringent quality, and also the bitter, always draw the sap out of the earth, and stuff it into their young son. 89. But the body, which was first contracted or drawn together out of the sweet water, remaineth dead or mortal, and the sweat [or juice] of the body, which qualifieth, mixeth or uniteth with the astringent and bitter qualities, hath the house therein, where it spreadeth itself forth, groweth gross, full [fat] and lusty or wanton. 90. But now the two qualities, viz. the astrin gent and the bitter, cannot leave their contention and opposition, or contrary will, but wrestle continually one with the other: The astringent is strong, and the bitter is swift. 91. So now, when the astringent grappleth with the bitter, the bitter leaps aside, and taketh the son's sap along with it; and then the astringent everywhere presseth hard after it, and would fain captivate it. Then the bitter rusheth out from the body, and extendeth itself as far as it can. 92. But when the body begins to be too strait or narrow for it, that it can extend or stretch it no more, and that the contention is too great, then the bitter must yield itself captive. Yet, for all that, the astringent cannot kill the bitter, but only holds it captive, and so the strife in them is so great that the bitter breaks out of the body in strings [fibres] like threads, and taketh some of the son's sap or body along with it. And this now is the vegetation or growing, and incorporating or embodying of a root in the earth.
Now thou askest, How can God be in that birth or geniture? Answer. 93. Behold! that is the birth or geniture of nature; and so, if in these three qualities, viz. the astringent, the bitter and the sweet, the wrathfire were not kindled, then thou wouldst plainly see where God is. 94. But now the wrathfire is in all three; for the astringent is much too cold, and contracteth or draweth the body too hard together; and the sweet is much too thick and dark, which the astringent soon catcheth, and holdeth it captive, and drieth it too much; and then the bitter is too stinging, murderous and raging; and so they cannot be reconciled to agree. 95. Else if the astringent were not so much kindled in the cold fire, and the water were not so thick, also the bitter not so swelling, rising and murderous, then they might kindle the fire, from whence the light would exist, and from the light the love; and so out of the fireflash the tone would exist. Then thou wouldst see plainly whether there would not be a heavenly body there, wherein the light of God would shine. 96. But seeing the astringent is too cold, and drieth the water too much, thereupon it captivateth the hot fire in its coldness, and killeth or destroyeth the body of the sweet water, and so the bitter captivateth it, and drieth it up.* * " and so the bitter captivateth it, and drieth it up " (aueh so nimt sie die Bittere gefangen, und vertrocknet sie mit), " even so [in the same way] it [the astringent] captivateth the bitter, and drieth it up [as well]." But from the construction of the sentence it is impossible to say whether the meaning is that the astringent captivateth the bitter, or the bitter the astringent, and whether or not either singly or both together bring about the drying up. The pronoun is feminine, and may therefore refer to either of these, but cannot refer to " sweet water." St Martin's French translation shews the same ambiguity. 97. So in this exsiccation or drying up, the unctuosness or fatness in the sweet water is killed or destroyed, in which the fire kindleth itself, and so out of that unctuosity or fatness an astringent and bitter spirit comes to be. For when the unctuosness or fat in the sweet water dieth, then it is turned into an anguishing sweat, in which the astringent and the bitter qualify, mix or unite. 98. The meaning is not that the water dieth quite; no, that cannot be, but the astringent spirit taketh captive in its cold fire the sweetness or the unctuosity and fatness of the water, and qualifieth, mixeth or uniteth therewith, and maketh use thereof for its spirit: Its own spirit being wholly benumbed, and in death, therefore it maketh use of the water for its life, and draweth out the water's unctuosity or fatness to itself, and bereaveth the water of its power. 99. Then the water becometh an anguishing sweat, which standeth between death and life, and so the fire of the heat cannot kindle itself: For the unctuosity or fatness is captivated in the cold fire, and so the whole body remaineth a dark valley, which standeth in an anguishing birth or geniture, and cannot comprehend or reach the life. For the life which standeth in the light cannot elevate itself in the hard, bitter and astringent body; for it is captivated in the cold fire, but not quite dead. 100. Thou must see that all this is really so. For example, take a root which is of a hot quality, put it in warm water, or take it into thy mouth, and make it warm and supple or moist; then
and bitter qualities rejoice in their son, understand, in the sweat, and both of them give to it their power, virtue and life, and stuff it like a greedy gormandizing hog, so that it soon comes to grow full and swelled: For the astringent quality, and also the bitter, always draw the sap out of the earth, and stuff it into their young son. 89. But the body, which was first contracted or drawn together out of the sweet water, remains dead or mortal, and the sweat [or juice] of the body, which qualifies, mixes or unites with the astringent and bitter qualities, has the house therein, where it spreads itself forth, grows gross, full [fat] and lusty or wanton. 90. But now the two qualities, viz. the astrin gent and the bitter, cannot leave their contention and opposition, or contrary will, but wrestle continually one with the other: The astringent is strong, and the bitter is swift. 91. So now, when the astringent grappls with the bitter, the bitter leaps aside, and takes the son's sap along with it; and then the astringent everywhere presses hard after it, and would fain captivate it. Then the bitter rushes out from the body, and extends itself as far as it can. 92. But when the body begins to be too strait or narrow for it, that it can extend or stretch it no more, and that the contention is too great, then the bitter must yield itself captive. Yet, for all that, the astringent cannot kill the bitter, but only holds it captive, and so the strife in them is so great that the bitter breaks out of the body in strings [fibres] like threads, and takes some of the son's sap or body along with it. And this now is the vegetation or growing, and incorporating or embodying of a root in the earth.
Now you askest, How can God be in that birth or geniture? Answer. 93. Behold! that is the birth or geniture of nature; and so, if in these three qualities, viz. the astringent, the bitter and the sweet, the wrathfire were not kindled, then you would plainly see where God is. 94. But now the wrathfire is in all three; for the astringent is much too cold, and contracts or draws the body too hard together; and the sweet is much too thick and dark, which the astringent soon catches, and holds it captive, and dries it too much; and then the bitter is too stinging, murderous and raging; and so they cannot be reconciled to agree. 95. Else if the astringent were not so much kindled in the cold fire, and the water were not so thick, also the bitter not so swelling, rising and murderous, then they might kindle the fire, from whence the light would exist, and from the light the love; and so out of the fireflash the tone would exist. Then you would see plainly whether there would not be a heavenly body there, wherein the light of God would shine. 96. But seeing the astringent is too cold, and dries the water too much, thereupon it captivats the hot fire in its coldness, and kills or destroys the body of the sweet water, and so the bitter captivats it, and dries it up.* * " and so the bitter captivats it, and dries it up " (aueh so nimt sie die Bittere gefangen, und vertrocknet sie mit), " even so [in the same way] it [the astringent] captivats the bitter, and dries it up [as well]." But from the construction of the sentence it is impossible to say whether the meaning is that the astringent captivats the bitter, or the bitter the astringent, and whether or not either singly or both together bring about the drying up. The pronoun is feminine, and may therefore refer to either of these, but cannot refer to " sweet water." St Martin's French translation shows the same ambiguity. 97. So in this exsiccation or drying up, the unctuosness or fatness in the sweet water is killed or destroyed, in which the fire kindls itself, and so out of that unctuosity or fatness an astringent and bitter spirit comes to be. For when the unctuosness or fat in the sweet water dies, then it is turned into an anguishing sweat, in which the astringent and the bitter qualify, mix or unite. 98. The meaning is not that the water dies quite; no, that cannot be, but the astringent spirit takes captive in its cold fire the sweetness or the unctuosity and fatness of the water, and qualifies, mixes or unites therewith, and makes use thereof for its spirit: Its own spirit being wholly benumbed, and in death, therefore it makes use of the water for its life, and draws out the water's unctuosity or fatness to itself, and bereavs the water of its power. 99. Then the water becomes an anguishing sweat, which stands between death and life, and so the fire of the heat cannot kindle itself: For the unctuosity or fatness is captivated in the cold fire, and so the whole body remains a dark valley, which stands in an anguishing birth or geniture, and cannot comprehend or reach the life. For the life which stands in the light cannot elevate itself in the hard, bitter and astringent body; for it is captivated in the cold fire, but not quite dead. 100. You must see that all this is really so. For example, take a root which is of a hot quality, put it in warm water, or take it into your mouth, and make it warm and supple or moist; then
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