The Forty Questions of the Soul
14. But if the soul turneth its imagination into the centre, into the strong
2 astringency and bitterness, then its fair image is also captivated in the dark astringency, and infected with the astringent wrath.
15. And then this wrath is a turba, which possesseth the image, and destroyeth the similitude of God; for in God there is love, light, and meekness: but in this image there is darkness, astringency, and bitterness, and the essential 3 source is fire, proceeding from the essences of wrath; and then this image belongeth not to the kingdom of God, so long as it continueth in this 4 source and form in the darkness.
16. Further, fire is a similitude of the soul; the soul is an essential fire, and the flash of the fire is the life of it: The soul resembleth a globe, or an eye, of fire.
1 quality, or property.
2 Or harshness.
3 quality or property.
4 quality, condition, or property.
17. The burning fire in the source signifieth the first Principle and the life, yet the fire is not the life; but the spirit of the source which ariseth from the fire, and *proceedeth from the fire-like air, that is the true spirit of the source of the hfe of the fire, which continually bloweth the fire up again, and maketh it burn.
18. Now the fire shineth, and giveth hght out of the source, and dwelleth in the source where it shineth, and the source comprehendeth not the hght; and this signifieth the second Principle, wherein God dwelleth.
19. For we know that the * power is in the hght, and not in the fire; the fire only giveth essences to the light, and the life, or the light produceth meekness and substantiality, viz. water.
20. Now we understand that there is a 2 meek hfe in the hght, without 3 source, and yet itself is an imperceptible source; it is nothing but a longing or desire of love.
21. Which source we account a tincture, in which the budding and blossoming hath its original, yet the fire is the cause of it, and the meekness is a cause of the substantiahty; for the desire of love in the hght attracteth it, and keepeth it, so that it becometh a substance; but the desire of fire consumeth the substantiahty.
1 Or virtue.
2 Or amiable, loving.
3 Or pain.
[* "proceedeth from the fire-like air" (vom Feuer ausgehet, als eine Lufl), "proceedeth from the fire, as an air" or "as a breath."]
22. Also we must conceive, that as the soul is purely and alone in the centre, it is an essential fire in the eye of eternity; and yet that eye desireth a figure and image of the wisdom of God.
- 23. And the image is in its desire, in its imagination; for the l Word Fiat hath
- * comprehended it, that it might be a simihtude of the eternal wisdom of God, wherein he dwelleth, and wherein he may manifest himself by his spirit, and whatever hath been in his eternal counsel.
24. Thus the Majesty of God flameth in the image, in the essential fire, if the essential fire f putteth its desire into the Majesty; but if not, then the image is 2 raw and naked without God, and the tincture is false.
25. For the image standeth in the tincture, and hath its original in the tincture, in the light, not in the source of the fire: and as the Heart or Word of God hath its original in the light of the Majesty, in the eternal tincture of the fire of the Father, so hath the image of the soul.
26. The image dwelleth in the fire of the soul, as light dwelleth in the fire; but it hath another Principle, as the light is such a source as is different from fire.
27. And so the true image of God dwelleth in the light of the fire of the soul; which light the fiery soul must create in the fountain of the love of God, in the Majesty, by putting and yielding its imagination into it.
1 Verbum Fiat.
2 void, or empty.
* "comprehended" (ergj'iffen), "seized," "taken hold of." f "putteth" (einfuhrt), "introduceth."
28. And if the soul do not so, but putteth its imagination into itself, into its wrathful form of the source of the fire, and not into the fountain of love, into the light of God, then its own source of l sourness, astringency, and bitterness riseth up; and the image of God becometh a turba, and swalloweth up the image of God in the wrath.
14. But if the soul turns its imagination into the centre, into the strong
2 astringency and bitterness, then its fair image is also captivated in the dark astringency, and infected with the astringent wrath.
15. And then this wrath is a turba, which possesses the image, and destroys the similitude of God; for in God there is love, light, and meekness: but in this image there is darkness, astringency, and bitterness, and the essential 3 source is fire, proceeding from the essences of wrath; and then this image belongs not to the kingdom of God, so long as it continues in this 4 source and form in the darkness.
16. Further, fire is a similitude of the soul; the soul is an essential fire, and the flash of the fire is the life of it: The soul resembls a globe, or an eye, of fire.
1 quality, or property.
2 Or harshness.
3 quality or property.
4 quality, condition, or property.
17. The burning fire in the source signifies the first Principle and the life, yet the fire is not the life; but the spirit of the source which arises from the fire, and *proceeds from the fire-like air, that is the true spirit of the source of the hfe of the fire, which continually blows the fire up again, and makes it burn.
18. Now the fire shines, and gives hght out of the source, and dwells in the source where it shines, and the source comprehends not the hght; and this signifies the second Principle, wherein God dwells.
19. For we know that the * power is in the hght, and not in the fire; the fire only gives essences to the light, and the life, or the light produces meekness and substantiality, viz. water.
20. Now we understand that there is a 2 meek hfe in the hght, without 3 source, and yet itself is an imperceptible source; it is nothing but a longing or desire of love.
21. Which source we account a tincture, in which the budding and blossoming has its original, yet the fire is the cause of it, and the meekness is a cause of the substantiahty; for the desire of love in the hght attracts it, and keeps it, so that it becomes a substance; but the desire of fire consums the substantiahty.
1 Or virtue.
2 Or amiable, loving.
3 Or pain.
[* "proceeds from the fire-like air" (vom Feuer ausgehet, als eine Lufl), "proceeds from the fire, as an air" or "as a breath."]
22. Also we must conceive, that as the soul is purely and alone in the centre, it is an essential fire in the eye of eternity; and yet that eye desires a figure and image of the wisdom of God.
- 23. And the image is in its desire, in its imagination; for the l Word Fiat has
- * comprehended it, that it might be a simihtude of the eternal wisdom of God, wherein he dwells, and wherein he may manifest himself by his spirit, and whatever has been in his eternal counsel.
24. Thus the Majesty of God flams in the image, in the essential fire, if the essential fire f putts its desire into the Majesty; but if not, then the image is 2 raw and naked without God, and the tincture is false.
25. For the image stands in the tincture, and has its original in the tincture, in the light, not in the source of the fire: and as the Heart or Word of God has its original in the light of the Majesty, in the eternal tincture of the fire of the Father, so has the image of the soul.
26. The image dwells in the fire of the soul, as light dwells in the fire; but it has another Principle, as the light is such a source as is different from fire.
27. And so the true image of God dwells in the light of the fire of the soul; which light the fiery soul must create in the fountain of the love of God, in the Majesty, by putting and yielding its imagination into it.
1 Verbum Fiat.
2 void, or empty.
* "comprehended" (ergj'iffen), "seized," "taken hold of." f "putts" (einfuhrt), "introducs."
28. And if the soul do not so, but putts its imagination into itself, into its wrathful form of the source of the fire, and not into the fountain of love, into the light of God, then its own source of l sourness, astringency, and bitterness rises up; and the image of God becomes a turba, and swallows up the image of God in the wrath.
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