The Forty Questions of the Soul
32. Now seeing that in the eternity there is such an eye, which is God himself (and yet is not called God, but eternity; and according to the eye, he is called A and O , before the A there is nothing, and in the O there is all, and in the A and O beginning and end) hence * we find, that there is a will in the O , and the will is the O itself, which maketh the A (viz. the eternal beginning of the 5 seeking), so that the abyss beholdeth itself, and maketh a form in itself like a globe.
1 similitude, or parable, or figure.
2 GoTtes, character T. GOTT in German is GOD.
3 Or wheel or orb.
4 God's wonder Eye.
5 drawing, or longing, or attracting.
* "we find" (wir grunderi), lit., "we discover as a foundation."
33. For the eye finding no bottom, it *closeth itself, and becometh like a round globe of glass; and so it is the similitude of eternity, in that it can find itself: for there is no finding in the abyss, because there is no place or limit, but the mere abyss: and when it doth find itself in the eye, yet it findeth nothing but the eye, which is the globe.
34. Now the eye maketh the globe, and it is the globe, and all put together is l a will to seek itself, and so to see what the eternity is, which is made manifest in the eye.
35. For the eye maketh a beginning and an end; and because there is nothing that can give it, it giveth itself, and it is from eternity to eternity, the eternity itself; it toucheth nothing; for it is a nothing in itself.
36. Then if there be a wdl, which is the eye, and which keepeth the eye, that keeping is the desire of the eye; and so the desire causeth an attraction in the eye, yet nothing is there but the eye: and the desire only attracteth itself in the eye, and impregnateth the eye with that which is attracted, so that it becometh full; and yet also nothing is there but a darkening of the free eye; yet the eye is not dark, but the desire in the eye is impregnated in itself.
1 Or an eternal will.
* "closeth itself (schleust sich), "foldeth itself [round]," like flood-gates.
37. For the will of the eye is still, and the desire of the will maketh itself full, and the eye continueth free in itself: For it is free in and from eternity; and this we call the eternal liberty in all our writings.
The Third Form.
38. Now a desire is sharp and attractive, and that maketh the third form, viz. a moving in itself, and it is the original of the essences; and hence come the essences in the eye and in the will, and yet the will may not suffer itself to be attracted.
39. For its peculiar right is to be still, and to hold the eye in the circle in the globe, and yet it cannot defend itself from the drawing and filling, for it hath nothing wherewith it can defend itself, but the desire.
40. And here ariseth the eternal enmity and contrary will; the will will not be dark, and its desire maketh it dark; the will would suffer the motion willingly, because it is its manifestation; but the drawing in, and darkening, pleaseth it not, though indeed the will is not attracted nor darkened, but the desire in the will impregnateth itself.
41. Now when the desire thus sticketh fast in the darkness, there is a great anguish, *for it is troubled and attracted, and also darkened, and bringeth anxiety to itself in itself, and desireth liberty; and drawing so strongly at the hberty, would fain draw itself into the liberty, and so it maketh itself more eager, rough and hard, and the darkness is like a horrible consuming sharpness.
42. For it snatcheth the hberty into itself; but it is so sharp, that it appeareth in the hberty as a flash of lightning, which consumeth the darkness with its t eagerness: and hence it is that God saith, I am a l consuming fire.
43. Hereby understand, how every 2 matter consisteth in the power of the true fire, and how the floor shall one day be purged: for it is the original of the fire which hath all power; for it consumeth whatsoever the desiring hath made, whether it be stone or mineral, for it is the sharpness of the eternal hberty, and maketh the
3 centre of nature.
32. Now seeing that in the eternity there is such an eye, which is God himself (and yet is not called God, but eternity; and according to the eye, he is called A and O , before the A there is nothing, and in the O there is all, and in the A and O beginning and end) hence * we find, that there is a will in the O , and the will is the O itself, which makes the A (viz. the eternal beginning of the 5 seeking), so that the abyss beholds itself, and makes a form in itself like a globe.
1 similitude, or parable, or figure.
2 GoTtes, character T. GOTT in German is GOD.
3 Or wheel or orb.
4 God's wonder Eye.
5 drawing, or longing, or attracting.
* "we find" (wir grunderi), lit., "we discover as a foundation."
33. For the eye finding no bottom, it *closes itself, and becomes like a round globe of glass; and so it is the similitude of eternity, in that it can find itself: for there is no finding in the abyss, because there is no place or limit, but the mere abyss: and when it does find itself in the eye, yet it finds nothing but the eye, which is the globe.
34. Now the eye makes the globe, and it is the globe, and all put together is l a will to seek itself, and so to see what the eternity is, which is made manifest in the eye.
35. For the eye makes a beginning and an end; and because there is nothing that can give it, it gives itself, and it is from eternity to eternity, the eternity itself; it touches nothing; for it is a nothing in itself.
36. Then if there be a wdl, which is the eye, and which keeps the eye, that keeping is the desire of the eye; and so the desire causes an attraction in the eye, yet nothing is there but the eye: and the desire only attracts itself in the eye, and impregnats the eye with that which is attracted, so that it becomes full; and yet also nothing is there but a darkening of the free eye; yet the eye is not dark, but the desire in the eye is impregnated in itself.
1 Or an eternal will.
* "closes itself (schleust sich), "folds itself [round]," like flood-gates.
37. For the will of the eye is still, and the desire of the will makes itself full, and the eye continues free in itself: For it is free in and from eternity; and this we call the eternal liberty in all our writings.
The Third Form.
38. Now a desire is sharp and attractive, and that makes the third form, viz. a moving in itself, and it is the original of the essences; and hence come the essences in the eye and in the will, and yet the will may not suffer itself to be attracted.
39. For its peculiar right is to be still, and to hold the eye in the circle in the globe, and yet it cannot defend itself from the drawing and filling, for it has nothing wherewith it can defend itself, but the desire.
40. And here arises the eternal enmity and contrary will; the will will not be dark, and its desire makes it dark; the will would suffer the motion willingly, because it is its manifestation; but the drawing in, and darkening, pleases it not, though indeed the will is not attracted nor darkened, but the desire in the will impregnats itself.
41. Now when the desire thus sticks fast in the darkness, there is a great anguish, *for it is troubled and attracted, and also darkened, and brings anxiety to itself in itself, and desires liberty; and drawing so strongly at the hberty, would fain draw itself into the liberty, and so it makes itself more eager, rough and hard, and the darkness is like a horrible consuming sharpness.
42. For it snatches the hberty into itself; but it is so sharp, that it appears in the hberty as a flash of lightning, which consums the darkness with its t eagerness: and hence it is that God says, I am a l consuming fire.
43. Hereby understand, how every 2 matter consists in the power of the true fire, and how the floor shall one day be purged: for it is the original of the fire which has all power; for it consums whatsoever the desiring has made, whether it be stone or mineral, for it is the sharpness of the eternal hberty, and makes the
3 centre of nature.
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