Nû merkent, daz er sprichet ‘got hât getrôstet sîn volk unde wil sich erbarmen über sîn armen.’ Er sprichet ‘sîn armen.’ Die armen sint alleine gote gelâzen, wan nieman nimet sich ir an. Hêt einer einen friunt, der arm ist, er vergihet sîn niht, und hât er guot und ist wîse, sô sprichet er ‘dû bist mîn mâg’ unde vergihet sîn balde; aber zuo dem armen sprichet er ‘got birât dich’, unde schemet sich sîn. Die armen werdent gote gelâzen: wan swar sie koment, sô vindent sie got unde hânt got an allen steten, unde got nimet sich ir an, wan sie im gegeben sint. Dâ von sprichet er in dem êwangelîô ‘sêlic sint die armen.’
Nû merkent daz wörtelîn, daz er sprichet ‘ich bin ein lieht der welte.’ ‘Ich bin’ dâ rüeret er daz wesen. Die meister sprechent: alle crêatûre mügent wol sprechen ‘ich’, unde daz wort ist gemeine; alleine daz wort ‘sum, bin’, daz mac nieman eigenlîche sprechen wan got alleine. ‘Sum’ ist als vil gesprochen als ein dinc, daz allez guot inne treit, unde daz ist allen crêatûren verseit, daz dekeiniu allez daz habe, daz den menschen ganzelîche getrôsten müge. Hêti ich allez, daz ich begeren möhti, unde tête mir der vinger wê, sô hêti ich ez niht allez, wan mir wêre der vinger wunt und ich hête ganzen trôst niht, die wîle mir der vinger wê tête. Brôt daz ist gar trôstlîch dem menschen, sô in hungerôt; sô in aber dürstet, sô hête er als wênic trôst an dem brôte als an einem steine; und als ist ez umbe diu kleider, sô in vrüeret, sô im aber ze heiz ist, sô hât er dekeinen trôst an den kleidern; und als ist ez umbe alle crêatûre, unt dar umbe ist daz wâr, daz alle crêatûre tragent inne bitterkeit. Ez ist wol wâr, daz alle crêatûre tragent inne etwaz trôstes, als obnân abgevêimet der sein. Der sein daz ist allez mit einander in gote, swaz guotes mit einander in allen crêatûren gesîn mac. Dâ von stêt geschriben in der wîsheit buoche ‘mit dir kumet mîner sêle allez guot.’ Unde der trôst der crêatûre enist niht ganz, wan er treit in ime einen mang. Aber gotes trôst ist lûter und âne mang und ist zemâle und ist vollekomen, und ime ist alse nôt, daz er dir gebe, daz er niht erbeiten mac, biz daz er gebe sich selber dir von êrste. Alsô vertœret ist got mit sîner minne zuo uns, reht als ob er vergezzen habe himelrîches und ertrîches und aller sîner sêlikeit und aller sîner gotheit unde niht ze tuon habe denne alleine mit mir, daz er mir gebe allez, daz mich getrôsten müge; und er gît mirz zemâle unde gît mirz vollekomenlîche unde gît ez in dem lûtersten unde gît ez alle zît unde gît ez allen crêatûren.
Now take note that he says: “God has comforted his people and will have mercy upon his poor.” He says “his poor.” The poor are left to God alone, for no one takes responsibility for them. If someone has a friend who is poor, he does not acknowledge him; but if he has possessions and is wise, he says: “You are my kinsman,” and readily acknowledges him. But to the poor man he says: “God provide for you,” and is ashamed of him. The poor are left to God, for wherever they go, they find God and have God in every place, and God takes responsibility for them because they have been given over to him. Therefore he says in the Gospel: “Blessed are the poor.”
Now take note of the little word where he says: “I am a light of the world.” In “I am” he touches upon being. The masters say that all creatures may indeed say “I,” and that word is common to them; but the word sum, “am,” no one can properly speak except God alone. Sum means something that bears all good within itself, and this is denied to all creatures, for no creature possesses everything that could wholly comfort the human being. If I had everything I could desire, and my finger hurt, then I would not have everything, for my finger would be wounded and I would not have complete consolation as long as my finger hurt. Bread is very consoling to a human being when he is hungry; but if he is thirsty, he has as little consolation from the bread as from a stone. And so it is with clothing: when he is cold it comforts him, but when he is too hot he has no consolation from clothing. And so it is with all creatures, and therefore it is true that all creatures bear bitterness within themselves. It is indeed true that all creatures bear within themselves something of consolation, as though honey had been skimmed off the top. The honey is all together in God, whatever good can be together in all creatures. Therefore it stands written in the Book of Wisdom: “With you all good comes to my soul.” The consolation of creatures is not complete, for it bears a lack within itself. But God’s consolation is pure and without lack, and it is entire and perfect, and it is so necessary for him to give to you that he cannot wait before first giving himself to you. God is so infatuated with his love for us, just as though he had forgotten the kingdom of heaven and earth and all his blessedness and all his Godhead and had nothing to do except with me alone, so that he might give me everything that can comfort me. And he gives it to me wholly, and gives it to me perfectly, and gives it in the purest way, and gives it at all times, and gives it to all creatures.