Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
16. For the region of the air must here drive the work through the throat, where then all the veins in the whole body tend and concur, and bring the virtue of the noble tincture thitherwards, and mingle themselves with the word ; and thither also all the three regions of the mind come, and mingle themselves with the distinguishing [framing, articulating, or separating] of words ; and there is a very wonderful form [or manner of work]. For every region [or dominion] will distinguish [or separate] the word according to its essences, for the sound goeth out of the heart, out of all three Principles.
17. The first will fashion it according to its fierce might and pomp, and mingleth therein prickly [stinging] sourness, wrath and malice. And the second Principle with the virgin standeth in the midst, and sheddeth its rays of loving meekness therein, and resisteth the first [Principle].
2 the second And if the spirit be kindled in 2that, then the word is wholly gentle, friendly, and humble, and inclineth itself to the love of our neighbour ; it desireth not to seize upon any with the haughty sting [or prickle] of the first Principle, but it
Ch. 16] THREEFOLD SPIRIT AND WILL 351
1 covereth the prickles of the thorns, and qualifieth 1 biunteth or
, r , , . -, , . mollitieth.
the word with clearness [ana plainness], and armetn the tongue with righteousness and truth, and it sheddeth abroad its rays, even into the will of the heart. And when the will receiveth the pleasant friendly rays of love, then it kindleth the whole mind, with the love, righteousness, chastity of the virgin, and the truth of all those things that are by all regions tried upon the tongue. And thus it together with the five senses maketh the tongue shrill, and [thereby] the dear image of God appeareth inwardly and outwardly, so that it may be heard and seen in the whole
2 abyss, what form it is of. 0 man ! behold what 2 Or deep of
, , . , , . , 1 | the mind.
the light of nature discoveretn to tnee.
18. Thirdly, there cometh the 'third regimen to 3 Or the third the imaging [or forming] of the word, from the spirit of the stars and elements, and it mingleth itself in the house and senses of the mind, and desireth to form the word from the might of its own self, for it hath * great power, it holdeth the 4 greatest.
whole man captive, and it hath clothed him with flesh and blood, and it infecteth the will of the mind, and the will 5 disco vereth itself in the spirit Mooketh upon of this world, in lust and beauty, might and power, l riches and glory, pleasure and joy ; and on the contrary, in sorrow and misery, cares and poverty, pain and sickness : Also in art and wisdom ; and on the contrary, in folly and ignorance.
19. All this, the glimpse [or discovery] of thep. 352 senses bringeth into the will of the mind [and setteth it] before the king, before the light of the life, and there it is tried. And the king giveth it first to the eyes, which must see what good is among all these, and what pleaseth them. And here now beginneth the wonderful form [or framing] of man,
1 Or according 1 out of the complexions, where the constellation pierions. hath formed the child in the mother's body [or womb] so variously in its regions. For according to what the constellation, in the time of the
2 Or the 2 incarnation of the child, in the wheel that standeth child's be- . i i i • coming man. therein, and natn its aspect, (when the dwelling
3 Or the of the four elements, and the 3 house of the stars dwelling of .
the senses and in the head, in the brains, are built by the Fiat), thoughts. .. 1-1 • • according to that is the virtue also in the brains, and so in the heart, gall, lungs, and liver ; and according to that is the inclination of the region of the air ; and according to that also a tincture springeth up, to [be] a dwelling of the life, as may
4 different be seen in the wonderful [* variety in the] senses and forms [or shapes] of men.
16. For the region of the air must here drive the work through the throat, where then all the veins in the whole body tend and concur, and bring the virtue of the noble tincture thitherwards, and mingle themselves with the word ; and thither also all the three regions of the mind come, and mingle themselves with the distinguishing [framing, articulating, or separating] of words ; and there is a very wonderful form [or manner of work]. For every region [or dominion] will distinguish [or separate] the word according to its essences, for the sound goes out of the heart, out of all three Principles.
17. The first will fashion it according to its fierce might and pomp, and mingls therein prickly [stinging] sourness, wrath and malice. And the second Principle with the virgin stands in the midst, and shedds its rays of loving meekness therein, and resists the first [Principle].
2 the second And if the spirit be kindled in 2that, then the word is wholly gentle, friendly, and humble, and inclins itself to the love of our neighbour ; it desires not to seize upon any with the haughty sting [or prickle] of the first Principle, but it
Ch. 16] THREEFOLD SPIRIT AND WILL 351
1 covers the prickles of the thorns, and qualifies 1 biunts or
, r , , . -, , . mollities.
the word with clearness [ana plainness], and armetn the tongue with righteousness and truth, and it shedds abroad its rays, even into the will of the heart. And when the will receives the pleasant friendly rays of love, then it kindls the whole mind, with the love, righteousness, chastity of the virgin, and the truth of all those things that are by all regions tried upon the tongue. And thus it together with the five senses makes the tongue shrill, and [thereby] the dear image of God appears inwardly and outwardly, so that it may be heard and seen in the whole
2 abyss, what form it is of. 0 man ! behold what 2 Or deep of
, , . , , . , 1 | the mind.
the light of nature discoveretn to tnee.
18. Thirdly, there comes the 'third regimen to 3 Or the third the imaging [or forming] of the word, from the spirit of the stars and elements, and it mingls itself in the house and senses of the mind, and desires to form the word from the might of its own self, for it has * great power, it holds the 4 greatest.
whole man captive, and it has clothed him with flesh and blood, and it infects the will of the mind, and the will 5 disco vers itself in the spirit Mooks upon of this world, in lust and beauty, might and power, l riches and glory, pleasure and joy ; and on the contrary, in sorrow and misery, cares and poverty, pain and sickness : Also in art and wisdom ; and on the contrary, in folly and ignorance.
19. All this, the glimpse [or discovery] of the
352 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 16 senses brings into the will of the mind [and setts it] before the king, before the light of the life, and there it is tried. And the king gives it first to the eyes, which must see what good is among all these, and what pleases them. And here now beginns the wonderful form [or framing] of man,
1 Or according 1 out of the complexions, where the constellation pierions. has formed the child in the mother's body [or womb] so variously in its regions. For according to what the constellation, in the time of the
2 Or the 2 incarnation of the child, in the wheel that stands child's be- . i i i • coming man. therein, and natn its aspect, (when the dwelling
3 Or the of the four elements, and the 3 house of the stars dwelling of .
the senses and in the head, in the brains, are built by the Fiat), thoughts. .. 1-1 • • according to that is the virtue also in the brains, and so in the heart, gall, lungs, and liver ; and according to that is the inclination of the region of the air ; and according to that also a tincture springs up, to [be] a dwelling of the life, as may
4 different be seen in the wonderful [* variety in the] senses and forms [or shapes] of men.