The Forty Questions of the Soul
11. And thus without much seeking, you may find the cause of the contrariety, that is between the flesh and the spirit: for the inward spirit hath the 3 divine body from the meek essentiality; and the outward spirit hath the body of the glass of the wrathful fire, viz. the body of the glass of the soul, which would always awaken the 4 wrathfulness, viz. the great wonders which he 5 in the arcanum, in the 6 eagerness of the soul; but that the inward spirit of love hindereth it, lest it should elevate itself, and inflame the soul, and so it would lose * the 7 fruition of love and the image, and the wrathfulness of the soul would destroy it; and thus contrariety ariseth.
1 Or kingly.
2 Or quality.
3 Or God's body.
4 vehemency, or fierceness.
5 in the secret, or hidden Mystery of eternity.
6 sternness, or fierceness, or strength.
7 the habitation, or sweet taste.
* "the fruition of love," lit., "its dear joy."
12. The inward spirit would be master, for it subdueth the outward; and so also the outward would be master, for it saith, I have the great wonders, and the arcanum: thus it braggeth of the Mystery, and yet it is but a glass of the Mystery.
13. It is not the essence of the Mystery, but a 1 desire, like a palpable glass, in which the Mystery is beheld; but it would be master, seeing it hath attained a Principle, and is a life of itself; but it is a fool in respect of the Mystery.
14. Therefore, beloved Brother, if you would seek the Mystery, seek it not in the outward spirit, you will be deceived, and attain nothing, but a glimpse of the Mystery: enter in even to the cross, then seek gold, and you will not be deceived; you must seek in another world for the pure child that is without spot: in this world you find only the drossy child, that is altogether imperfect; but go about it in a right manner.
15. Go back from the cross into the fourth form, and there you have 2 Sol and Luna together, bring that in anguish into death, and * drive on that composed magical body so long, till it becometh again that which it was before the centre in the will, and then it becometh 3 magical and hungry after nature.
1 seeking, or longing.
2 sun and moon.
3 desirous.
* "drive" (zertreiben) "to work," implies a taking to pieces, recasting and transforming. St Martin aptly translates this "forgez."
16. It is a 1 longing in the eternal longing, and would fain have a body, therefore give it Sol, viz. the soul, 2 that it may have a body, and then it will soon make a body according to the soul; for the will springeth up in paradise, with fair heavenly fruit without blemish.
17. There you have the noble child; ye covetous gripers, we must indeed tell this to you, seeing it is born with the time, but those only that are ours will understand us.
18. For we mean not here a 3 glass or heaven, but gold, wherewith you vaunt, which for so long a time hath been your idol god; and your blind 4 owl-eyes are so quite put out, that you see less than before: But the children shall see, eat and be satisfied, that they may praise God.
19. We speak here wonderfully, yet we speak nothing but what we must speak: Let none marvel, that he knoweth the Mystery, who hath not learnt it from any man; doth not a herb grow without your 5 counsel? Neither doth it inquire for your art: yea, the Mystery is grown also without your art, it hath its own school; like the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, who spake with many languages and tongues, without premeditation and art; and so is this simplicity in like manner.
20. And this foretelleth thy fall, O Babel, 6 that thou mayest know it: no wrath nor anger will help you; the star is born which leadeth the 7 wisemen out of the East country; but seek thou only where thou art, and find thyself; and cast the 8 turba from thee, and then thou shaft live with the children: this we tell thee in good earnest, there is no other remedy; thy anger is thy fire, which will destroy thyself.
1 Or seeking, or desire.
2 Or for a body.
3 Or similitude, figure, or parable.
4 Or cow's eyes.
5 Or direction.
6 that you may be warned of it.
7 Magi.
8 wrangling, malice, and tyranny.
11. And thus without much seeking, you may find the cause of the contrariety, that is between the flesh and the spirit: for the inward spirit has the 3 divine body from the meek essentiality; and the outward spirit has the body of the glass of the wrathful fire, viz. the body of the glass of the soul, which would always awaken the 4 wrathfulness, viz. the great wonders which he 5 in the arcanum, in the 6 eagerness of the soul; but that the inward spirit of love hinders it, lest it should elevate itself, and inflame the soul, and so it would lose * the 7 fruition of love and the image, and the wrathfulness of the soul would destroy it; and thus contrariety arises.
1 Or kingly.
2 Or quality.
3 Or God's body.
4 vehemency, or fierceness.
5 in the secret, or hidden Mystery of eternity.
6 sternness, or fierceness, or strength.
7 the habitation, or sweet taste.
* "the fruition of love," lit., "its dear joy."
12. The inward spirit would be master, for it subdus the outward; and so also the outward would be master, for it says, I have the great wonders, and the arcanum: thus it braggs of the Mystery, and yet it is but a glass of the Mystery.
13. It is not the essence of the Mystery, but a 1 desire, like a palpable glass, in which the Mystery is beheld; but it would be master, seeing it has attained a Principle, and is a life of itself; but it is a fool in respect of the Mystery.
14. Therefore, beloved Brother, if you would seek the Mystery, seek it not in the outward spirit, you will be deceived, and attain nothing, but a glimpse of the Mystery: enter in even to the cross, then seek gold, and you will not be deceived; you must seek in another world for the pure child that is without spot: in this world you find only the drossy child, that is altogether imperfect; but go about it in a right manner.
15. Go back from the cross into the fourth form, and there you have 2 Sol and Luna together, bring that in anguish into death, and * drive on that composed magical body so long, till it becomes again that which it was before the centre in the will, and then it becomes 3 magical and hungry after nature.
1 seeking, or longing.
2 sun and moon.
3 desirous.
* "drive" (zertreiben) "to work," implies a taking to pieces, recasting and transforming. St Martin aptly translates this "forgez."
16. It is a 1 longing in the eternal longing, and would fain have a body, therefore give it Sol, viz. the soul, 2 that it may have a body, and then it will soon make a body according to the soul; for the will springs up in paradise, with fair heavenly fruit without blemish.
17. There you have the noble child; you covetous gripers, we must indeed tell this to you, seeing it is born with the time, but those only that are ours will understand us.
18. For we mean not here a 3 glass or heaven, but gold, wherewith you vaunt, which for so long a time has been your idol god; and your blind 4 owl-eyes are so quite put out, that you see less than before: But the children shall see, eat and be satisfied, that they may praise God.
19. We speak here wonderfully, yet we speak nothing but what we must speak: Let none marvel, that he knows the Mystery, who has not learnt it from any man; does not a herb grow without your 5 counsel? Neither does it inquire for your art: yea, the Mystery is grown also without your art, it has its own school; like the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, who spake with many languages and tongues, without premeditation and art; and so is this simplicity in like manner.
20. And this foretells your fall, O Babel, 6 that you may know it: no wrath nor anger will help you; the star is born which leads the 7 wisemen out of the East country; but seek you only where you are, and find yourself; and cast the 8 turba from you, and then you shaft live with the children: this we tell you in good earnest, there is no other remedy; your anger is your fire, which will destroy yourself.
1 Or seeking, or desire.
2 Or for a body.
3 Or similitude, figure, or parable.
4 Or cow's eyes.
5 Or direction.
6 that you may be warned of it.
7 Magi.
8 wrangling, malice, and tyranny.
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