Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
of the lovely pleasant fountain, which presseth through all the fountains, so that from hence the light is kindled.
13. And the sound or noise, in the turning wheel, is now the declarer or pronouncer in all the fountains, that the beloved child is born ; for it cometh with its sound before all doors, and in all essences ; so that in its awakening, all the virtues or powers are stirring, and see, feel, have smell, and taste one another in the light, for the whole birth nourish eth itself in its first mother, viz. the
2 harsh essence, being now become so thin [or pure], 2 Or sour, meek, sweet, and full of joy, and so the whole substantiality. birth standeth in very great joy, love, meekness, and humility, and is nothing else than a mere pleasing taste, a delighting sight, a sweet smell, a ravishing sound to the hearing, a soft touch, beyond that which any tongue can utter or express. How should there not be joy and love, where, in the very midst of death, the eternal life is generated, and where there is no fear of any end, nor can be ?
14. Thus in the harshness there is a new birth again ; understand, where the tart [sour astringeiicy] is predominant in the birth, and where the fire is not kindled according to the bitter sting or prickle, or from the beginning of the anguish : But the rising [or exulting] joy, is now the centre and kindling of the light, and the tartness [or stringency] hath now 8in its own quality the1 Or for.
p. 26
SUL, oil, and light of the father: Therefore now the birth out of the twig or branch of the first
1 Or tart, sour tree is qualified altogether according to the l harsh fountain. . r -.
fountain ; and the fire therein is a tart [or sourj fire ; and the bitterness a tart bitterness ; and the sound a tart sound ; and the love a tart love ; but all in mere perfection, and in a totally glorious love and joy.
15. And thus also the first bitter sting or prickle, or the first bitterness (after the light is kindled, and that the first birth standeth in perfection)
8 twig or geuerateth again out of its own quality an 2 essence, wherein there is a centre, where also a new fountain or source springe th up in a new fire or life, having the condition and property of all the qualities, and yet the bitterness in this new sprout is chiefest among all the qualities ; so that there is a bitter bitterness, a bitter tartness, a bitter waterspirit, a bitter sound, a bitter fire, a bitter love,
* Or exulting yet all perfectly in the 3 rising up of great joy.
16. And the fire generateth now also a fire, according to the property of every quality ; in the tart spirit it is tart ; in the bitter, bitter ; in the love, it is a very hearty yearning, kindling of the love, a total, fervent, or burning kindling, and causeth very vehement desires ; in the sound it is
4 Or life. a very shrill tanging * fire, wherein all things are very clearly and properly distinguished, and where the sound in all qualities telleth or expresseth, as it were with the lips or tongue, whatsoever is inCh. 3] OF THE ETERNAL NATURE 27 all the fountain-spirits, what joy, virtue, or power, essence, substance, or property [they have], and in the water it is a very drying fire.
17. The propagation of the love is most especially to be observed, for it is the loveliest, pleasantest, and sweetest fountain of all. When the love generateth again a whole birth, with all the fountains of the original essences out of itself, so that the love in all the l springing veins in that a Or wellnew birth be predominant and chief, so that a centre ariseth therein, then the first essence, viz. the tartness, is wholly desirous or longing, wholly sweet, wholly light, and giveth itself forth to be food to all the qualities, with a hearty affection towards them all, as a loving mother hath towards her children, and here the bitterness may be rightly called joy, for it is the rising or moving [thereof]. What joy there is here, there is no other similitude of it, than when a man is suddenly and unexpectedly delivered out of the pain and torment of hell, and put into the light of the divine joy.
of the lovely pleasant fountain, which presses through all the fountains, so that from hence the light is kindled.
13. And the sound or noise, in the turning wheel, is now the declarer or pronouncer in all the fountains, that the beloved child is born ; for it comes with its sound before all doors, and in all essences ; so that in its awakening, all the virtues or powers are stirring, and see, feel, have smell, and taste one another in the light, for the whole birth nourish eth itself in its first mother, viz. the
2 harsh essence, being now become so thin [or pure], 2 Or sour, meek, sweet, and full of joy, and so the whole substantiality. birth stands in very great joy, love, meekness, and humility, and is nothing else than a mere pleasing taste, a delighting sight, a sweet smell, a ravishing sound to the hearing, a soft touch, beyond that which any tongue can utter or express. How should there not be joy and love, where, in the very midst of death, the eternal life is generated, and where there is no fear of any end, nor can be ?
14. Thus in the harshness there is a new birth again ; understand, where the tart [sour astringeiicy] is predominant in the birth, and where the fire is not kindled according to the bitter sting or prickle, or from the beginning of the anguish : But the rising [or exulting] joy, is now the centre and kindling of the light, and the tartness [or stringency] has now 8in its own quality the1 Or for.
26 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 3
SUL, oil, and light of the father: Therefore now the birth out of the twig or branch of the first
1 Or tart, sour tree is qualified altogether according to the l harsh fountain. . r -.
fountain ; and the fire therein is a tart [or sourj fire ; and the bitterness a tart bitterness ; and the sound a tart sound ; and the love a tart love ; but all in mere perfection, and in a totally glorious love and joy.
15. And thus also the first bitter sting or prickle, or the first bitterness (after the light is kindled, and that the first birth stands in perfection)
8 twig or geuerats again out of its own quality an 2 essence, wherein there is a centre, where also a new fountain or source springe th up in a new fire or life, having the condition and property of all the qualities, and yet the bitterness in this new sprout is chiefest among all the qualities ; so that there is a bitter bitterness, a bitter tartness, a bitter waterspirit, a bitter sound, a bitter fire, a bitter love,
* Or exulting yet all perfectly in the 3 rising up of great joy.
16. And the fire generats now also a fire, according to the property of every quality ; in the tart spirit it is tart ; in the bitter, bitter ; in the love, it is a very hearty yearning, kindling of the love, a total, fervent, or burning kindling, and causes very vehement desires ; in the sound it is
4 Or life. a very shrill tanging * fire, wherein all things are very clearly and properly distinguished, and where the sound in all qualities tells or expresses, as it were with the lips or tongue, whatsoever is in
Ch. 3] OF THE ETERNAL NATURE 27 all the fountain-spirits, what joy, virtue, or power, essence, substance, or property [they have], and in the water it is a very drying fire.
17. The propagation of the love is most especially to be observed, for it is the loveliest, pleasantest, and sweetest fountain of all. When the love generats again a whole birth, with all the fountains of the original essences out of itself, so that the love in all the l springing veins in that a Or wellnew birth be predominant and chief, so that a centre arises therein, then the first essence, viz. the tartness, is wholly desirous or longing, wholly sweet, wholly light, and gives itself forth to be food to all the qualities, with a hearty affection towards them all, as a loving mother has towards her children, and here the bitterness may be rightly called joy, for it is the rising or moving [thereof]. What joy there is here, there is no other similitude of it, than when a man is suddenly and unexpectedly delivered out of the pain and torment of hell, and put into the light of the divine joy.