The Forty Questions of the Soul
44. But that you may % search yet deeper, know, that the fire originally consisteth in three forms, viz. in the desire; and then in the matter of that which is attracted, viz. in the darkness, in which essentiality proceedeth from the attraction; and thirdly, the anguish source.
1 Deut. iv. 24.
2 materia,
3 centrum natures.
* "for it is troubled," lit., "for it is stirred," or "set in motion," or "excited." f "eagerness" (Strengichkeit), lit., "fierceness, violence."
X "search" (grunden), "to sound" or "fathom."
The Fourth Form.
45. And the fourth form maketh itself, that is, the flash, for the liberty causeth that, and is the kindler of the anguish source. For the desire in the darkness would have nothing else but the hberty, and the liberty is a light without shining, it is like a very deep blue colour mixed with green, so that it is not known what colour it is, for all colours are in it; and the desire in itself, *in its eager anguish and sharpness, breaketh the colours, and maketh a horrible consuming flash in itself, and changeth it according to the anguish, that it becometh red.
46. Now the liberty in the desire suffereth itself not to be bound or captivated, but changeth itself from the red flash into light, into a glance of the 1 Majesty, and it is an exulting great joy in the liberty.
47. For the eye is made manifest in the light, and the 2 essentiality is made manifest in the will, and then it is known what light and darkness are: also thus the eternity is known, and so God's holiness always ariseth in the wonders from eternity, and it hath neither limit nor beginning, for it is an eternal beginning, comprehended in nothing but only in the wonders, which are its own essence, where there is neither limit nor 3 number.
1 Whose colour is yellow.
2 Or substantiality.
3 time or years.
* "in its eager anguish," lit., "in its fierce anguish."
48. And thus nothing is known in the still eternity, but the glance of the Majesty, and the spirit which is born in the will, and the Majesty hath the 1 dominion.
49. Beloved Friend, understand the sense aright: we mean not, that the birth apprehendeth the liberty without, but within itself, in its centre, it apprehendeth itself in itself, and maketh Majesty in itself, and yet there is *no including there, but it is, as when life ariseth from death or from nothing, which 2 dwelleth only in itself, and this is called a 3 Principle: and that wherein it dwelleth is called nature, which hath seven spirits and forms, as is to be seen in our 4 second and 5 third book.
50. Yet this Principle hath but one spirit, which is the life of that Principle, and it hath but one will, which is the 6 fulfilling of the eternity with the glance of the Majesty.
51. For this Principle is the power proceeding from the will of eternity, and the entrance, or the eternal beginning of the power, is the life and the spirit of the power, which f thrusteth forth the essences of the genetrix, and openeth the original of the Majesty.
52. And the whole eye (which hath thus 7 made itself a glass in the A and O) is all things; it is the eternity, and in itself in the eye it begetteth the Majesty, which is the heart and power of the eye; and also the spirit, which proceedeth from the power in the heart; even from the fiery light-flaming essences.
1 regimen.
2 life.
3 Principium.
4 Three Principles.
5 Threefold Life.
6 Or satiating.
7 Or formed, or figured.
* "no including" (keine Einsperrung), "no shutting in" [enclosing, confining].
f "thrusteth forth" (fuhren) here means "to carry along with might, to guide and have command over." St Martin renders this "charrier," an apt word, used mainly in reference to the powerful motion and current of waters in flood.
53. Thus understand the holy Ternary in one essence: The Father is the eternity without ground, which is nothing, and yet all things; and in the eye of his glance he seeth that he is all things: and in the power of the Majesty he feeleth, tasteth and smelleth that he is 1 Good, that is, that he is 2 God: although the 3 T (viz. the
4 harshness) ariseth in the Centre.
44. But that you may % search yet deeper, know, that the fire originally consists in three forms, viz. in the desire; and then in the matter of that which is attracted, viz. in the darkness, in which essentiality proceeds from the attraction; and thirdly, the anguish source.
1 Deut. iv. 24.
2 materia,
3 centrum natures.
* "for it is troubled," lit., "for it is stirred," or "set in motion," or "excited." f "eagerness" (Strengichkeit), lit., "fierceness, violence."
X "search" (grunden), "to sound" or "fathom."
The Fourth Form.
45. And the fourth form makes itself, that is, the flash, for the liberty causes that, and is the kindler of the anguish source. For the desire in the darkness would have nothing else but the hberty, and the liberty is a light without shining, it is like a very deep blue colour mixed with green, so that it is not known what colour it is, for all colours are in it; and the desire in itself, *in its eager anguish and sharpness, breaks the colours, and makes a horrible consuming flash in itself, and changes it according to the anguish, that it becomes red.
46. Now the liberty in the desire suffers itself not to be bound or captivated, but changes itself from the red flash into light, into a glance of the 1 Majesty, and it is an exulting great joy in the liberty.
47. For the eye is made manifest in the light, and the 2 essentiality is made manifest in the will, and then it is known what light and darkness are: also thus the eternity is known, and so God's holiness always arises in the wonders from eternity, and it has neither limit nor beginning, for it is an eternal beginning, comprehended in nothing but only in the wonders, which are its own essence, where there is neither limit nor 3 number.
1 Whose colour is yellow.
2 Or substantiality.
3 time or years.
* "in its eager anguish," lit., "in its fierce anguish."
48. And thus nothing is known in the still eternity, but the glance of the Majesty, and the spirit which is born in the will, and the Majesty has the 1 dominion.
49. Beloved Friend, understand the sense aright: we mean not, that the birth apprehends the liberty without, but within itself, in its centre, it apprehends itself in itself, and makes Majesty in itself, and yet there is *no including there, but it is, as when life arises from death or from nothing, which 2 dwells only in itself, and this is called a 3 Principle: and that wherein it dwells is called nature, which has seven spirits and forms, as is to be seen in our 4 second and 5 third book.
50. Yet this Principle has but one spirit, which is the life of that Principle, and it has but one will, which is the 6 fulfilling of the eternity with the glance of the Majesty.
51. For this Principle is the power proceeding from the will of eternity, and the entrance, or the eternal beginning of the power, is the life and the spirit of the power, which f thrusts forth the essences of the genetrix, and opens the original of the Majesty.
52. And the whole eye (which has thus 7 made itself a glass in the A and O) is all things; it is the eternity, and in itself in the eye it begetts the Majesty, which is the heart and power of the eye; and also the spirit, which proceeds from the power in the heart; even from the fiery light-flaming essences.
1 regimen.
2 life.
3 Principium.
4 Three Principles.
5 Threefold Life.
6 Or satiating.
7 Or formed, or figured.
* "no including" (keine Einsperrung), "no shutting in" [enclosing, confining].
f "thrusts forth" (fuhren) here means "to carry along with might, to guide and have command over." St Martin renders this "charrier," an apt word, used mainly in reference to the powerful motion and current of waters in flood.
53. Thus understand the holy Ternary in one essence: The Father is the eternity without ground, which is nothing, and yet all things; and in the eye of his glance he sees that he is all things: and in the power of the Majesty he feels, tastes and smells that he is 1 Good, that is, that he is 2 God: although the 3 T (viz. the
4 harshness) arises in the Centre.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.