On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
For a super-essential understanding of It is proper to Unknowing, which lieth in the Super-Essence Thereof surpassing Discourse, Intuition and Being; acknowledging which truth let us lift up our eyes towards the steep height, so far as the effluent light of the Divine Scriptures grants its aid, and, as we strive to ascend unto those Supernal Rays, let us gird ourselves for the task with holiness and the reverent fear of God.* For, if we may safely trust the wise and infallible Scriptures, Divine things are revealed unto each created spirit in proportion to its powers, and in this measure is perception granted through the workings of the Divine goodness, the which in just care for our preservation divinely tempereth unto finite measure the infinitude of things which pass man’s understanding. For even as things which are intellectually discerned 1 cannot be comprehended or perceived by means of those things which belong to the senses, nor simple and imageless things by means of types and images, nor the formless and intangible essence of unembodied things by means of those which have bodily form? by the same law of truth the boundless3 Super-Essence surpasses Essences, the Super-Intellectual Unity surpasses Intelligences, the One which is beyond thought surpasses the apprehension of thought, and the Good which is beyond utterance surpasses the reach of words.} Yea, it is an Unity which is the unifying Source of all unity and a Super-Essential Essence,2 a Mind beyond the reach of mind and a Word beyond utterance, eluding Discourse, Intuition, Name, and every kind of being. It is the Universal Cause of existence while Itself existing not, for It is beyond all Being and such that It alone could give, with proper understanding thereof, a revelation of Itself.
1 i.e. The Transcendent Truths which are beyond ordinary knowledge. νοητά. The word νοῦς = Mind in the sense not merely of abstract intellect but of the spiritual personality. Hence the word is often used to = an angel; and νοητός is often used as = spiritual, instead of πνευματικός, which D. does not employ. This use of νοῦς and its derivatives is ultimately due to the influence of Aristotle. (Cf. the use of νοῦς in Plotinus.) St. Thomas Aquinas regards zz/ellectus as = “personality.” But here the reference is perhaps rather to the province of abstract intellect.
2 Apparently this is the same thought repeated in three different ways. The formless essence (amoppia) of a thing is simple and imageless—a Platonic idea—perceived by the mind; things which have bodily form are, as it were, types and symbols perceived by the senses.
3 Or “indeterminate.”
For a super-essential understanding of It belongs to Unknowing, which lies in Its Super-Essence, surpassing Discourse, Intuition and Being. Acknowledging this truth, let us lift up our eyes towards the steep height, as far as the effluent light of the Divine Scriptures grants its aid, and, as we strive to ascend to those Supernal Rays, let us gird ourselves for the task with holiness and the reverent fear of God.*
For, if we may safely trust the wise and infallible Scriptures, Divine things are revealed to each created spirit in proportion to its powers, and in this measure perception is granted through the workings of the Divine goodness, which, in just care for our preservation, divinely tempers to finite measure the infinitude of things that pass man’s understanding. For just as things which are intellectually discerned 1 cannot be comprehended or perceived by means of things that belong to the senses, nor simple and imageless things by means of types and images, nor the formless and intangible essence of unembodied things by means of things that have bodily form,2 so by the same law of truth the boundless3 Super-Essence surpasses Essences, the Super-Intellectual Unity surpasses Intelligences, the One which is beyond thought surpasses the apprehension of thought, and the Good which is beyond utterance surpasses the reach of words.1
Indeed, It is an Unity which is the unifying Source of all unity and a Super-Essential Essence,2 a Mind beyond the reach of mind and a Word beyond utterance, eluding Discourse, Intuition, Name, and every kind of being. It is the Universal Cause of existence while Itself not existing, for It is beyond all Being, and such that It alone could give, with proper understanding of it, a revelation of Itself.
1 i.e. The Transcendent Truths which are beyond ordinary knowledge. νοητά. The word νοῦς = Mind, in the sense not merely of abstract intellect but of the spiritual personality. Hence the word is often used = an angel; and νοητός is often used as = spiritual, instead of πνευματικός, which D. does not employ. This use of νοῦς and its derivatives is ultimately due to the influence of Aristotle. (Cf. the use of νοῦς in Plotinus.) St. Thomas Aquinas regards intellectus as = “personality.” But here the reference is perhaps rather to the province of abstract intellect.
2 This seems to be the same thought expressed in three different ways. The formless essence (amoppia) of a thing is simple and imageless—a Platonic idea—perceived by the mind; things which have bodily form are, as it were, types and symbols perceived by the senses.
3 Or “indeterminate.”