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.
2. Now concerning this hidden Super-Essential Godhead we must not dare, as I have said, to speak, or even to form any conception Thereof, except those things which are divinely revealed to us from the Holy Scriptures. For as It hath lovingly taught us in the Scriptures concerning Itself,* the understanding and contemplation of Its actual nature is not accessible to any being; for such knowledge is superessentially exalted above them all. And many of the Sacred Writers thou wilt find who have declared that It is not only invisible and incomprehensible, but also unsearchable and past finding out, since there is no trace of any that have penetrated the hidden depths of Its infinitude.2 Not that the Good is wholly incommunicable to anything; nay, rather, while dwelling alone by Itself, and having there firmly fixed Its super-essential Ray, It lovingly reveals Itself by illuminations corresponding to each separate creature's powers, and thus draws upwards holy minds into such contemplation, participation and resemblance1 of Itself as they can attain— even them that holily and duly strive thereafter and do not seek with impotent presumption the Mystery beyond that heavenly revelation which is so granted as to fit their powers, nor yet through their lower propensity slip down the steep descent,2 but with unwavering constancy press onwards toward the ray that casts its light upon them and, through the love responsive to these gracious illuminations, speed their temperate and holy flight on the wings of a godly reverence.
1 Thus the three grades are: (1) the material world; (2) the spiritual world of truths, personality, etc.; (3) the Godhead which is, so to speak, supra-spiritual.
2 i.e. A Supra-Personal Personality. See Intr., p. 4 f.
3 yods avontés. Probably not “Irrational Mind” (as Dr. Inge translates it). Maximus takes it passively, as translated above.
5 &s οὐκ ὄντος ἴχνους οὐδενὸς τῶν em) Thy κρυφίαν αὐτῆς ἀπειρίαν διεληλυθότων. Two interpretations of this passage are possible: (1) Those who have penetrated the hidden Depths cannot describe the Vision (cf. Dante, Par. xxxiii, 55-66); (2) Nobody has ever penetrated into the ultimate Depths of Deity.
2. Now concerning this hidden Super-Essential Godhead we must not dare, as I have said, to speak, or even to form any conception of It, except what is divinely revealed to us from the Holy Scriptures. For, as It has lovingly taught us in the Scriptures concerning Itself,* the understanding and contemplation of Its actual nature is not accessible to any being, since such knowledge is superessentially exalted above them all. And you will find many of the Sacred Writers who have declared that It is not only invisible and incomprehensible, but also unsearchable and past finding out, since there is no trace of any who have penetrated the hidden depths of Its infinitude.2
Not that the Good is wholly incommunicable to anything. On the contrary, while dwelling alone by Itself, and having firmly fixed Its super-essential Ray there, It lovingly reveals Itself by illuminations corresponding to the powers of each separate creature, and so draws holy minds upward into such contemplation, participation and resemblance1 of Itself as they can attain. These are they who holily and duly strive after it, and who neither seek with impotent presumption the Mystery beyond that heavenly revelation which is granted so as to fit their powers, nor slip down the steep descent2 through their lower propensity, but with unwavering constancy press onward toward the ray that casts its light upon them, and, through the love that answers these gracious illuminations, speed their temperate and holy flight on the wings of a godly reverence.
1 The three grades, then, are: (1) the material world; (2) the spiritual world of truths, personality, etc.; (3) the Godhead, which is, so to speak, supra-spiritual.
2 i.e. A Supra-Personal Personality. See Intr., p. 4 f.
3 yods avontés. Probably not “Irrational Mind” (as Dr. Inge translates it). Maximus takes it passively, as translated above.
5 &s οὐκ ὄντος ἴχνους οὐδενὸς τῶν em) Thy κρυφίαν αὐτῆς ἀπειρίαν διεληλυθότων. Two interpretations of this passage are possible: (1) those who have penetrated the hidden Depths cannot describe the Vision (cf. Dante, Par. xxxiii, 55-66); (2) nobody has ever penetrated into the ultimate Depths of Deity.