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.
“Ecstasy,” “Jealousy.” Also that Evil is neither existent nor Sprung from anything existent nor inherent in existent things.
1. NOW let us consider the name of “ Good” which the Sacred Writers apply to the Supra-Divine Godhead in a transcendent manner, calling the Supreme Divine Existence Itself “Goodness” (as it seems to me) in a sense that separates It from the whole creation, and meaning, by this term, to indicate that the Good, under the form of Good-Being, extends Its goodness by the very fact of Its existence unto all things! For as our sun, through no choice or deliberation, but by the very fact of its existence, gives light to all those things which have any inherent power of sharing its illumination, even so the Good (which is above the sun, as the transcendent archetype by the very mode of its existence is above its faded image) sends forth upon all things according to their receptive powers, the rays of Its undivided Goodness. Through these all Spiritual Beings and faculties and activities (whether perceived or percipient*) began; through these they exist and possess a life incapable of failure or diminution, and are untainted by any corruption or death or materiality or birth, being separate above all instability and flux and restlessness of change. And whereas they are bodiless and immaterial they are perceived by our minds, and whereas they are minds themselves, they possess a supernatural perception and receive an illumination (after their own manner) concerning the hidden nature of things from whence they pass on their own knowledge to other kindred spirits. Their rest is in the Divine Goodness, wherein they are grounded, and This Goodness maintains them and protects them and feasts them with Its good things. Through desiring this they possess their being and their blessedness, and, being conformed thereto (according to their powers), they are goodly, and, as the Divine Law commands, pass on to those that are below them, of the gifts which have come unto them from the Good.
“Ecstasy,” “Jealousy.” Also that Evil is neither existent nor sprung from anything existent nor inherent in existent things.
1. Now let us consider the name of “Good,” which the Sacred Writers apply to the Supra-Divine Godhead in a transcendent manner, calling the Supreme Divine Existence Itself “Goodness” (as it seems to me) in a sense that separates It from the whole creation, and meaning by this term to indicate that the Good, under the form of Good-Being, extends Its goodness to all things by the very fact of Its existence.1 For as our sun, through no choice or deliberation but by the very fact of its existence, gives light to all things that have any inherent power of sharing its illumination, so the Good (which is above the sun, as the transcendent archetype by the very mode of its existence is above its faded image) sends forth upon all things, according to their receptive powers, the rays of Its undivided Goodness.
Through these all Spiritual Beings and faculties and activities (whether perceived or percipient*) began; through these they exist and possess a life incapable of failure or diminution, and are untainted by any corruption or death or materiality or birth, being set apart above all instability and flux and restlessness of change. And since they are bodiless and immaterial, they are perceived by our minds; and since they are themselves minds, they possess a supernatural perception and receive an illumination (after their own manner) concerning the hidden nature of things, from which they pass on their own knowledge to other kindred spirits.
Their rest is in the Divine Goodness, in which they are grounded, and this Goodness maintains them and protects them and feasts them with Its good things. Through desiring It they possess their being and their blessedness, and, being conformed to It (according to their powers), they are goodly, and, as the Divine Law commands, they pass on to those below them some of the gifts that have come to them from the Good.