Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
and this is after no other manner, than as when a man is dying, and soul and body part asunder ; for in the stifling [or stopping] of the blood by the [sour] harshness, the bitter death is also there ; and therefore 2 it is like a furious whirling wheel, 2 the bitter or swift horrible thought, which worrieth and vexeth prickle, itself: And here is a brimstone-spirit, a venomous [poisonous] horrible aching substance in the death ; for it is the worm to the springing up of life.
57. And now when the spirit of the stars and elements hath mingled [or figured] itself together in the incarnation, then the virtue [or power] of the stars and elements is together wheeled in this raging, where then (in this anguish) the spirit of the stars attracteth the virtue of the sun to it, and 3 manifesteth itself in the virtue of the sun, » or disfrom whence there ariseth a twinkling flash in thisp. 254 raging, from whence the hard [sour] harsh anxiety is terrified, and sinketh down, and there the terrible
1 Or recep- tincture goeth into its * ether ; for the essence of tacle. ° the [sour] harshness in the Fiat is so mightily terrified at the flash, that it becometh [faiut]
2 openeth it- impotent [or feeble], and sinketh back, 2 expandeth self outwards. . i i • itself, and groweth thin.
58. And the terror [shriek], or flash of fire, is done in the bitter prickle ; and when it reflecteth itself back in the dark [sour or] harsh anxiety in the mother, and findeth her so very soft [gentle] and overcome, then it is much more terrified than the mother : But this terror happening thus in the soft mother, she becometh white and clear in the twinkling of an eye, and the flash remaineth in the anguish, in the root of the fire, and now therefore it is a shriek [or terror] of great joy, and it is as when water is thrown into the fire, where
8 source or the [sour] harsh 3 quality is then quenched, and the property.
[sourness or] harshness is then so mightily overjoyed with the light, and the light with the mother, the [sourness or] harshness, wherein it is generated, that there is no similitude to [compare] it [with], for it is the birth and the beginning of the life.
0 Sol : All this which followeth is done in the entrance of the fourth month.
59. And as soon as the light of life appeareth in the [sour] harshness and soft mother, so that the [sourness or] harshness cometh to taste the light of
Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 255
life, [and findeth] that it is so meek, pleasant [lovely], and full of joy, then it exulteth with great delight [desire and longing] after the light, to l mix l infect, itself therewith, and apprehend it, so that its lust [or longing delight] and virtue goeth forth from it after the light ; which lust [or longing delight] is the virtue of the light ; and this out-going 2 lust in 2 delight, the love is the noble tincture, which is there new generated to be the child's own ; and the spirit which is generated out of the anguish in the flash of the fire, is the true [and real] soul which is generated in man.
60. Now here it is especially to be observed, where 3 it dwelleth, and whence heart, lungs, and3 the soul, liver come, especially the bladder and * guts, and 4 Or entrails, the brain in the head ; also the understanding and senses ; these I will here set down one after another : It cannot [well or] sufficiently be expressed by a human tongue, especially the order which is B observed in the twinkling of an eye in 6 done or per-
, , . , -i -i formed.
nature ; it would require a great volume to describe it in. And as the world accounteth us too 6 weak 6 simple, or
. silly, and void to [be able to] describe it, so we account ourselves of undermuch weaker [and more unable]. And it is with unabieDg> us as Isaiah saith, / am found of them that sought me not, and known of them that were ignorant of me, and of such as inquired not after me.
and this is after no other manner, than as when a man is dying, and soul and body part asunder ; for in the stifling [or stopping] of the blood by the [sour] harshness, the bitter death is also there ; and therefore 2 it is like a furious whirling wheel, 2 the bitter or swift horrible thought, which worries and vexes prickle, itself: And here is a brimstone-spirit, a venomous [poisonous] horrible aching substance in the death ; for it is the worm to the springing up of life.
57. And now when the spirit of the stars and elements has mingled [or figured] itself together in the incarnation, then the virtue [or power] of the stars and elements is together wheeled in this raging, where then (in this anguish) the spirit of the stars attracts the virtue of the sun to it, and 3 manifests itself in the virtue of the sun, » or disfrom whence there arises a twinkling flash in this
254 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 13 raging, from whence the hard [sour] harsh anxiety is terrified, and sinks down, and there the terrible
1 Or recep- tincture goes into its * ether ; for the essence of tacle. ° the [sour] harshness in the Fiat is so mightily terrified at the flash, that it becomes [faiut]
2 opens it- impotent [or feeble], and sinks back, 2 expands self outwards. . i i • itself, and grows thin.
58. And the terror [shriek], or flash of fire, is done in the bitter prickle ; and when it reflects itself back in the dark [sour or] harsh anxiety in the mother, and finds her so very soft [gentle] and overcome, then it is much more terrified than the mother : But this terror happening thus in the soft mother, she becomes white and clear in the twinkling of an eye, and the flash remains in the anguish, in the root of the fire, and now therefore it is a shriek [or terror] of great joy, and it is as when water is thrown into the fire, where
8 source or the [sour] harsh 3 quality is then quenched, and the property.
[sourness or] harshness is then so mightily overjoyed with the light, and the light with the mother, the [sourness or] harshness, wherein it is generated, that there is no similitude to [compare] it [with], for it is the birth and the beginning of the life.
0 Sol : All this which follows is done in the entrance of the fourth month.
59. And as soon as the light of life appears in the [sour] harshness and soft mother, so that the [sourness or] harshness comes to taste the light of
Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 255 life, [and finds] that it is so meek, pleasant [lovely], and full of joy, then it exults with great delight [desire and longing] after the light, to l mix l infect, itself therewith, and apprehend it, so that its lust [or longing delight] and virtue goes forth from it after the light ; which lust [or longing delight] is the virtue of the light ; and this out-going 2 lust in 2 delight, the love is the noble tincture, which is there new generated to be the child's own ; and the spirit which is generated out of the anguish in the flash of the fire, is the true [and real] soul which is generated in man.
60. Now here it is especially to be observed, where 3 it dwells, and whence heart, lungs, and3 the soul, liver come, especially the bladder and * guts, and 4 Or entrails, the brain in the head ; also the understanding and senses ; these I will here set down one after another : It cannot [well or] sufficiently be expressed by a human tongue, especially the order which is B observed in the twinkling of an eye in 6 done or per-
, , . , -i -i formed.
nature ; it would require a great volume to describe it in. And as the world accounts us too 6 weak 6 simple, or
. silly, and void to [be able to] describe it, so we account ourselves of undermuch weaker [and more unable]. And it is with unabieDg> us as Isaiah says, / am found of them that sought me not, and known of them that were ignorant of me, and of such as inquired not after me.