Tractate — Chapter 11
Tractate — Chapter 11Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition
Man liset in dem heiligen êwangelîô, daz unser herre vil volkes spîsete mit fünf brôten unde mit zwein vischen. Daz êrste brôt was, daz wir uns selben bekennen sülen, waz wir êwiclich an gote sîn gewesen unde waz wir nû sîn an gote. Daz ander was, daz wir uns erbarmen sülen über unsern ebenkristen, der dâ verblindet ist; sîn schade sol uns vil nâch als leit sîn als unser selbes. Daz dritte, daz wir bekennen sülen unsers herren Jêsû Kristî leben unde dem nâch volgen ûf daz hœhste, als verre ez mügelich ist. Daz vierde, daz wir bekennen sülen daz gerihte gotes. Allez daz man sprechen mac von hellescher pîne, daz ist wâr. Sant Dionysius sprichet: von gote scheiden daz ist helle unde gotes angesicht ist himelrîche. Daz fünfte ist, daz man bekennen sol die gotheit, diu in den vater ist geflozzen unde hât in erfüllet mit vermügentheit und ist geflozzen in den sun unde hât in erfüllet mit wîsheit unde sie sint ein in der nâtûre. Daz sprach Kristus selber ‘dâ ich bin, dâ ist mîn vater, unde dâ mîn vater ist, dâ bin ich.’ Unde sie sint geflozzen in den heiligen geist unde hânt in erfüllet mit guotem willen. Daz sprach Kristus ‘ich unt mîn vater hân einen geist’, unde der heiligegeist ist geflozzen in die sêle.
Diu sêle hât von nâtûre zwô krefte enpfangen. Diu eine kraft ist verstentnisse, diu mac begrîfen die heilige drîveltikeit mit allen iren werken unde besliuzet sî in ir, als der ein vaz fülte unde daz zuo beslüzze. Als dan daz vaz vol ist, sô hât ez begriffen allez daz in ime ist: sô ist ez vereinet mit dem, daz ez begriffen hât unt des ez vol ist. Alsô ist daz verstentnis ouch ein worden mit dem daz ez verstêt unde daz ez begriffen hât. Ez wirt dar an geneiget von gnâden, als der sun ein ist in dem vater von nâtûre. Diu ander kraft ist der wille. Der ist edeler unde hât von nâtûre, daz er sich wirfet in die unwizzenheit, diu got ist. Dâ wil der wille got begrîfen über allez bekentnis und er begrîfet daz er wil unde der unbekante got dringet unde drücket sich in den willen, alsô daz der wille got begrîfet unde ein wirt mit gote, unde der wille ziuhet daz gehügnisse nâch ime und al die krefte der sêle, daz diu sêle ein wirt mit gote von gnâden, alse der heiligegeist ein ist an dem vater und an dem sune von nâtûre. Si ist wêrlicher in gote danne si in ir selbes persône sî. Her ûf sprichet sant Augustinus, daz diu sêle mê sî, dâ si minnet, dan si dâ sî, dâ si leben gît. Möhte der mensche in diser einunge blîben unde daz er alliu diu werc tæte, diu alle crêatûren ie getâten, daz enwære niht alse guot, wan diu oberste kraft züge die nidersten an sich, alsô daz der mensche niht gewürken möhte dan ein gotlich werc. Des enmac aber niht gesîn und dar umbe diu oberste kraft schouwet in gote ir bestez unde giuzet daz für baz in die nidersten, daz sie underscheit wizzen bœses unde guotes. In dirre vereinunge was Âdâm, unde die wîle er in dirre vereinunge was, die wîle hâte er aller crêatûren kraft an sîner obersten kraft. Alse der agestein giuzet sîne kraft an die nâdelen unde ziuhet sî an sich, sô enpfât diu nâdel der kraft als vil, daz si sî für baz giuzet in alle die nâdelen, die under ir sint, unde hebet sie alle ûf unde ziuhet sie zuo dem agesteine. Der die oberste nâdel dan abe züge, sô vielen die andern alle. Alsô geschach Âdâme: dô er mit der obersten kraft gescheiden wart von gote, dô vielen alle sîne krefte. Dan abe kam, daz die crêatûren underscheit hânt, wande sie uneinhellic worden sint under einander, daz einer einez wil und ein ander ein anderz. Alsô verderbent alle krefte an den crêatûren biz ûf die nidersten. Alse diu kraft an dem golde niht würken mac golt, sô würket si silber, sô verdirbet si, biz daz silber würket îsen; alsô verderbent die krefte an dem menschen, biz daz sie ze nihte werdent. Seht, hie von kumt, daz die crêatûre underscheit hânt.
We read in the holy Gospel that our Lord fed many people with five loaves and two fishes. The first bread was that we should know ourselves: what we have eternally been in God and what we now are in God. The second was that we should have compassion for our fellow Christian who is blinded; his harm should grieve us almost as much as our own. The third was that we should know the life of our Lord Jesus Christ and follow it to the highest degree, as far as possible. The fourth was that we should know God's judgment. Everything that can be said of the pain of hell is true. Saint Dionysius says: to be separated from God is hell, and God's countenance is the kingdom of heaven. The fifth is that one should know the Godhead, which has flowed into the Father and filled him with power, and has flowed into the Son and filled him with wisdom, and they are one in nature. Christ himself said: ‘Where I am, there is my Father, and where my Father is, there am I.’ And they have flowed into the Holy Spirit and filled him with good will. Christ said: ‘I and my Father have one spirit,’ and the Holy Spirit has flowed into the soul.
The soul has by nature received two powers. The one power is understanding, which can comprehend the Holy Trinity with all its works and encloses it within itself, as one fills a vessel and closes it. When the vessel is full, it has comprehended everything that is in it; thus it is united with that which it has comprehended and of which it is full. So too understanding has become one with that which it understands and has comprehended. It is inclined thereto by grace, as the Son is one in the Father by nature. The other power is the will. It is nobler and has by nature the property that it casts itself into the unknowing which is God. There the will wishes to comprehend God above all knowledge, and it comprehends what it wills, and the unknown God presses and forces himself into the will, so that the will comprehends God and becomes one with God. The will draws memory after itself and all the powers of the soul, so that the soul becomes one with God by grace, as the Holy Spirit is one in the Father and the Son by nature. She is more truly in God than she is in her own person. Saint Augustine says that the soul is more where she loves than where she is, where she gives life. If a person could remain in this union and perform all the works that all creatures have ever performed, this would not be as good, for the highest power would draw the lower powers to itself, so that the person could work nothing but a divine work. But this cannot be, and therefore the highest power beholds in God what is best for it and pours this onward into the lower powers, so that they may know the distinction between evil and good. Adam was in this union, and while he was in this union he had the power of all creatures in his highest power. As the lodestone pours its power into the needles and draws them to itself, so the needle receives so much of that power that it pours it onward into all the needles beneath it, lifts them all up, and draws them to the lodestone. If one then drew away the highest needle, all the others would fall. So it happened to Adam: when he was separated from God with the highest power, all his powers fell. From this came the fact that creatures have distinction, because they became discordant with one another, so that one wills one thing and another another. Thus all powers deteriorate among creatures down to the lowest. If the power in gold cannot produce gold, it produces silver; then it deteriorates until silver produces iron. Thus the powers in the human being deteriorate until they become nothing. See, from this comes the fact that creatures have distinction.
Nû müezent doch alle crêatûre, die ûzer gote geflozzen sint, mit allen iren kreften würken, wie sie einen menschen gemachen, der wider kome in die einunge, dâ Âdâm inne was ê dan er viele, unde der alle crêatûre wider erhebe in die selbe kraft, in der sie wâren an menschlîcher nâtûre. Daz ist vollebrâht an Kristô, als er selber sprach ‘ist, daz ich erhaben wirde, sô wil ich alliu dinc an mich ziehen.’ Er meinte: eb er in unserm bekentnisse erhaben würde, sô wolte er uns ziehen an sich. Nâch disem sinne sint alle crêatûre ein mensche unde der mensche ist got. Menschlîch nâtûre ist niht êwiclich gewesen an ir selber. Got ist von ime selber êwiclich unde der vater hât von nihte alliu dinc geschaffen und allez, daz er ist an im selben, daz fliuzet ime von sîn selbis nâtûre zuo, diu dâ als unwerdenlich ist, daz si allen dingen entwirt, und aller dinge werden endet an dem entwerdende. Der sun ist glîchnis des vaters, âne daz, daz er enpfât von dem vater allez, daz er hât, und alles werdendes ist er ein bilde. Doch ist er ein an dem entwerdende. Der heiligegeist ist ein zesamenthalt des vaters unde des suns und ist ein mit in in dem entwerdende und er ist ein werkmeister und ein würker des werdens in der êwikeit und in der zît. Diz zîtlîche werden endet an dem êwigen entwerdende und daz êwige werden ist ein werc der êwigen nâtûre und dar umbe enhât ez weder anevanc noch ende.
Got ist sîn selbes materie unde forme unde sîn forme ziuhet sich selben ûzer sîner materien unde nâch der forme sô formet er alliu werdelîchiu dinc. Doch sîn einveltigiu nâtûre ist von formen formelôs, von werdenne werdêlôs, von wesenne weselôs und ist von sachen sachelôs, unt dar umbe engât si allen werdenlîchen dingen und al werdenlîchiu dinc müezent dâ enden.
Yet all creatures that have flowed out of God must work with all their powers toward making a human being who returns to the union in which Adam was before he fell, and who raises all creatures again into the same power in which they were in human nature. This is fulfilled in Christ, as he himself said: ‘If I am lifted up, I will draw all things to myself.’ He meant: if he were raised up in our knowledge, he would draw us to himself. In this sense all creatures are one human being, and the human being is God. Human nature has not existed eternally in itself. God is eternal from himself, and the Father created all things from nothing, and everything that he is in himself flows to him from his own nature, which is so beyond becoming that it brings all things into un-becoming, and the becoming of all things ends in un-becoming. The Son is the likeness of the Father, except that he receives from the Father all that he has, and he is an image of all becoming. Yet he is one in un-becoming. The Holy Spirit is a holding-together of the Father and the Son and is one with them in un-becoming, and he is a master-workman and a worker of becoming in eternity and in time. This temporal becoming ends in eternal un-becoming, and eternal becoming is a work of eternal nature and therefore has neither beginning nor end.
God is his own matter and form, and his form draws itself out of his matter, and according to the form he forms all things subject to becoming. Yet his onefold nature is formless with respect to forms, without becoming with respect to becoming, beingless with respect to being, and causeless with respect to causes; therefore it eludes all things subject to becoming, and all things subject to becoming must end there.
Got ist êwic und alliu dinc sint êwicliche in ime gewesen. An in selben wâren sie niht. Ê got ie crêatûre geschüefe, dô enwas er den crêatûren nihtes niht an irm verstentnisse, mêr: an ime selber was er in êwiclich daz selbe, daz er in nû ist und êwiclich wesen sol. Dar umbe kunde kein crêatûre gesprechen got, dô si selbe niht enwas. Unde dâ von, allez, daz den sinnen unbekant ist, daz haltent sie ver niht. Har umbe wan diu crêatûre got niht bekante, dô si selber niht enwas, dar umbe mohte si ouch niht gesprechen got.
Daz widersprechent die kelzer unde sprechent, daz Kristus die menscheit mit ime bræhte ûzer dem himel, unde des enist niht. Er nam die menscheit von mîner frouwen sante Marîen und bleib an der gotheit daz er was, unde diu alwaltikeit bekante an irre êwigen wîsheit die ordenunge aller dinge, daz was der heiligeist. Diu drîveltikeit gôz sich in daz niht menschlîcher nâtûre in der zît. Dan abe wart menschlîchiu nâtûre bewegelich in der zît unde got nam menschlîche nâtûre an sich. In dem wart menschlich nâtûre got unde menschlich nâtûre bekante daz mit den drin kreften, die si enpfangen hâte von der heiligen drîvaltikeit, unde dankete dan abe gote unde minnete in mit unmêziger minne. Diz ist gote alse wert, daz er menschlîche nâtûre wider geminnet hât mit alse grôzer minne: der ez bekante, in disem lîbe hêt er himelrîche. Ich râte iu, swestern und bruodern, daz ir wahsent an bekentnis und dankent gote, die wîle ir in der zît sint, daz er iuch von nihte zuo ihte gemachet hât, unde vereinent iuch mit götlîcher nâtûre. Wan koment ir ûz der zît, sô gêhœret iu kein rât zuo. Müegent ir aber götlîcher nâtûre niht begrîfen, sô gloubent an Kristum, volgent sîme heiligen bilde unde blîbent behalten: wande juden, heiden, ketzere, bœse kristen und alle, die irs bekentnisses an gote niht gebrûchent, die sint verlorn, âne diu jungen kint, diu zuo irem bekentnisse noch niht komen sint, diu eht getoufet sint in Kristen namen: diu geniezant Kristî namen, daz sie behalten blîbent an dem bekentnisse, dâ mit er sînen vater êwicliche bekant hât.
God is eternal, and all things have existed eternally in him. In themselves they were nothing. Before God ever created a creature, he was nothing at all to creatures in their understanding; rather, in himself he was eternally for them the same that he is for them now and shall eternally be. Therefore no creature could speak of God when it itself was not. And therefore everything that is unknown to the senses they regard as nothing. Because the creature did not know God when it itself did not exist, therefore it could not speak of God either.
The heretics contradict this and say that Christ brought humanity with him out of heaven, but that is not so. He took humanity from Our Lady Saint Mary and remained in the Godhead what he was; and omnipotence knew in its eternal Wisdom the ordering of all things: that was the Holy Spirit. The Trinity poured itself into the nothing of human nature in time. Thereupon human nature became movable in time, and God assumed human nature. In this, human nature became God, and human nature knew this with the three powers it had received from the Holy Trinity, and thereupon thanked God and loved him with immeasurable love. This is so precious to God that he has loved human nature in return with equally great love: whoever knew this would have the kingdom of heaven in this body. I advise you, sisters and brothers, to grow in knowledge and thank God while you are in time, because he has made you from nothing into something, and unite yourselves with divine nature. For when you pass out of time, no counsel then belongs to you. But if you cannot comprehend divine nature, then believe in Christ, follow his holy image, and remain saved; for Jews, heathens, heretics, bad Christians, and all who do not exercise their knowledge of God are lost, except the young children who have not yet come to their knowledge and are indeed baptized in Christ's name: they benefit from Christ's name, so that they remain saved through the knowledge with which he has eternally known his Father.
Nû fröuwent iuch, alle krefte mîner sêle, daz ir mit gote alsô vereinet sint, daz iuch von im nieman gescheiden mac. Nû kan ich got envolle niht geloben noch gedienen: dar umbe muoz ich in den tugenden sterben und ich wirfe mich in daz niht der blôzen gotheit, dâ ich êwicliche sinke von nihte ze ihte, daz ich mit nihte ze ihte werde.
Solt ich hie in lîbe leben biz an den jungesten tac unde hellesche pîne tragen, daz wære mir ein klein dinc dur mînen lieben herren Jêsum Kristum, wand ich hân eine sicherheit von im enpfangen, daz ich von ime niht gescheiden mac. Bin ich hie, sô ist er in mir: nâch disem lebenne bin ich in ime. Alsô sint mir alliu dinc mügelich, wand ich bin vereinet in dem, der alliu dinc vermac. Hie vor hâte ich daz underscheit verlorn, weder wir got wêren von nâtûre oder von gnâden. Dô kom Jêsus mit liehte der nâtûre dar zuo, daz ich bekante mîn gehügnisse sînde under mîner verstentnisse unde vlôz ûzer dem wesenne der sêle unde daz bekentnis vlôz ûzer dem gehügnisse unde der wille vlôz ûzer in beiden. Daz wesen wirt goffenbâret von den kreften unde die krefte werdent goffenbâret von irn werken. Daz mir mîn bekentnis gab, daz minnete ich; des ich niht bekante, des enkonde ich ouch niht geminnen, unde dem willen wâren alliu dinc mügelich. Dô was ich in grôzer nôt, weder wir wêren got von nâtûre oder von gnâden. Dô truoc mich vorhte ûf Kristum, wan er daz underscheit hât in der wârheit. Dô gab er mir ein lieht von gnâden, daz ich bekante in götlîcher nâtûre drie persônen, daz sîn vater ist ein geberer aller dinge. Her ûf sprichet sant Jacobus ‘alle volkomene gâben vliezent von dem vater der liehte.’ Der vater ist selber ein lieht, daz sich in ime selben erliuhtet persônlich unde weselich. In dem ungebornen wesenne ist er weselich, als daz wesen âne persônlicheit: dâ liuhtet sich daz wesen inme selben wesen âne persône. Doch ist der vater daz selbe wesen weselich. In dem wesenne aldâ verliuret diu sêle sîne veterlicheit, wan dâ enist er ouch niht vater. Daz sich der vater inme selben liuhtet weselich und persônlich, daz zücket er von sîme ungebornen wesenne in sich dur die edele wurzel sîner persônlicheit. Alse vil er sîns ungebornen wesens in sich zücket, alse vil ist er veterlich unde weselich an sîner veterlicheit. Diz edel lieht hât êwicliche in sîme herzen gevlozzen und ez fliuzet ûzer ime in den sun weselich unde persônlich unde fliuzet ûzer in beiden in den heiligen geist weselich unde persônlich, unde sie drî liuhtent einen schîn weselich unde persônlich. Der vater liuhtet ûf sie beide weselich unde persônlich und der vater und der sun liuhtent ûf den heiligen geist weselich unde persônlich. Daz wesen ist diu einekeit der drîer persônen unde daz geborne wesen daz ist gotberhafticlich, alse vil als ez in die persônen vliuzet und als vil ez mit den persônen ûz fliuzet. Niht alsô, daz diz wesen iht bere: daz wesen birt niht. Der sun unde der heiligeist sint zwei lieht des gotberhaftigen wesens in dem ursprunge der veterlicheit, dâ der vater daz geborne wesen in sich zücket von sîme ungebornen wesen. Wan der vater kennet sich mit dem sune unde kennet sich selben in ime selben. Des ist der sun ein lieht und er wil sich selben in ime selben; unde des ist der heiligeist ein lieht. Der vater unde der sun hânt einen willen, unde der wille daz ist der heiligeist: der gît sich in die sêle, daz gotlich nâtûre die krefte der sêle alsô dur gât, daz diu sêle danne niht mac würken wan gotlich werc. Reht alse ein brunne, der dâ stât an sîner stat unde sich gît an die wurzel der bluomen, daz die bluomen von der viuhthe des brunnen grüenent unde enpfâhent ir varwe, alsô gît sich diu gotheit in die krefte der sêle, daz si wehset in glîchnisse gotes. Daz bilde liuhtet an den kreften, daz glîchnis lît an den tugenden. Sô diu sêle götlîcher nâtûre ie mê enpfât, sô si götlîcher nâtûre ie mê glîcher wirt unde ie mê mit gote vereinet wirt. Sô mac si komen ûf sô grôze vereinunge, daz got sî alzemâle in sich ziuhet alse genzlîch, daz dâ kein underscheit blîbet der tugende noch der untugende, noch daz diu sêle kein underscheit bekennet, für waz si sich selben habe. Got hât sî für eine crêatûre. Dar umbe lânt iuch niht triegen daz lieht von nâtûre. Sô diu sêle ie zuo hœherme bekentnisse kumt in daz lieht von gnâden, sô si daz lieht ie vinster dunket von nâtûre. Wil si danne bekennen die rehte wârheit, sô sol si sich dar an bekennen, ebe si von allen dingen gezogen sî, ebe si ir selbes verlorn sî, eb si got minne mit sîner minne unde daz si niht ir selbes dâ mite meine, daz si nihtes niht von ime gescheiden müge noch gehindert werde von keinen dingen, und eb got alleine in ir lebe. Sô hât si sich verlorn, als Marîâ Kristum verlôr. Si suochte in drie tage unde wiste doch wol, daz si in vinden solte. Unde Kristus was in der schuole sînes vater an der obersten lêre, dâ von ahte er niht sîner muoter suochennes. Alsô geschicht der edelen sêle, diu in der gotheit ze schuole gât, wan dâ lernet si bekennen, waz got sî an der gotheit unde waz got sî an der drîvaltikeit unde waz got sî an der menscheit, unde lernet erkennen sînen liebsten willen.
Now rejoice, all powers of my soul, that you are so united with God that no one can separate you from him. Now I can neither fully praise nor serve God; therefore I must die to the virtues, and I cast myself into the nothing of the bare Godhead, where I eternally sink from nothing to something, so that by nothing I become something.
If I were to live here in the body until the Last Day and endure the pain of hell, that would be a small thing to me for my dear Lord Jesus Christ, because I have received a certainty from him that I cannot be separated from him. If I am here, then he is in me; after this life I am in him. Thus all things are possible to me, because I am united in him who can do all things. Before this I had lost the distinction whether we were God by nature or by grace. Then Jesus came with the light of nature, so that I knew that my memory was beneath my understanding and flowed out of the being of the soul, and knowledge flowed out of memory, and the will flowed out of them both. Being is revealed by the powers, and the powers are revealed by their works. What my knowledge gave me, that I loved; what I did not know, I could not love either, and all things were possible to the will. Then I was in great distress as to whether we were God by nature or by grace. Then fear drove me toward Christ, for he possesses the distinction in truth. Then he gave me a light of grace, so that I knew three persons in divine nature, and that his Father is a giver of all things. Concerning this Saint James says, ‘Every perfect gift flows from the Father of lights.’ The Father is himself a light that illumines itself within itself personally and essentially. In the unbegotten being he is essential, as being without personality: there being shines within itself as being without person. Yet the Father is that same being essentially. In that being the soul loses his fatherhood, for there he is not Father either. That the Father illumines himself within himself essentially and personally, he draws from his unbegotten being into himself through the noble root of his personality. Insofar as he draws his unbegotten being into himself, so far is he fatherly and essential in his fatherhood. This noble light has flowed eternally in his heart, and it flows out from him into the Son essentially and personally, and flows out from them both into the Holy Spirit essentially and personally; and the three shine one brightness essentially and personally. The Father shines upon them both essentially and personally, and the Father and the Son shine upon the Holy Spirit essentially and personally. Being is the unity of the three persons, and the begotten being is God-bearing insofar as it flows into the persons and insofar as it flows out with the persons. Not, however, that this being gives birth to anything: being does not give birth. The Son and the Holy Spirit are two lights of the God-bearing being in the origin of fatherhood, where the Father draws the begotten being into himself from his unbegotten being. For the Father knows himself with the Son and knows himself in himself. Therefore the Son is a light, and he wills himself in himself; and therefore the Holy Spirit is a light. The Father and the Son have one will, and that will is the Holy Spirit: he gives himself into the soul, so that divine nature so permeates the powers of the soul that the soul can then work nothing but a divine work. Just as a spring stands in its place and gives itself to the roots of the flowers, so that the flowers grow green from the moisture of the spring and receive their color, so the Godhead gives itself into the powers of the soul, so that she grows in likeness to God. The image shines in the powers; the likeness lies in the virtues. The more the soul receives divine nature, the more like divine nature she becomes and the more she is united with God. She can come to so great a union that God draws her wholly into himself so completely that no distinction remains between virtue and vice, nor does the soul know any distinction as to what she should hold herself to be. God holds her to be a creature. Therefore do not let the light of nature deceive you. The higher the knowledge to which the soul comes in the light of grace, the darker the light of nature seems to her. If she then wishes to know the true truth, she should know herself by whether she has been drawn away from all things, whether she has lost herself, whether she loves God with his love and does not intend herself in this, so that she can in no way be separated from him or hindered by any things, and whether God alone lives in her. Then she has lost herself, as Mary lost Christ. She sought him for three days and yet knew well that she would find him. And Christ was in his Father's school at the highest teaching, and therefore he took no account of his mother's seeking. So it happens to the noble soul that goes to school in the Godhead, for there she learns to know what God is in the Godhead, what God is in the Trinity, and what God is in humanity, and learns to know his dearest will.
Got in der gotheit ist ein geistlich substancie, diu apgründtlich ist, alsô daz nieman dâ von gesprechen kan, dan daz ez niht ensi. Swer sprêche, daz ez iht wêre, daz wære mê gelogen dan wâr. Got ist in der drîvaltikeit ein lebende lieht in eime clâren schîne unde sint alse gereht, daz sie ein sint in der nâtûre unde sint an den persônen underscheiden. Daz daz leben ist daz enist daz lieht niht. Möhte man sprechen, daz ez drie nâtûre wêren an den underscheiden, sô enist ez doch niht dan ein nâtûre an der einvaltikeit, wan sie sint alse gereht an irn werken, daz sie ein sint unde würkent alleglîch an allen crêatûren.
Her ûf sprichet sant Augustînus, daz diu gerehtikeit gotes in der gotheit und in der drîveltikeit und in allen crêatûren diu meiste fröude sî, diu in dem himel ist. Got in menschlîcher nâtûre ist ein lucerne des lebenden liehtes, unde daz lieht liuhtet in der vinsternisse unde diu vinsternisse begrîfet des liehtes niht. Daz vinsternisse daz muoz iemer mê vliehen von dem liehte, als diu naht von dem tage. Si lernet dâ bekennen gotes liebsten willen. Sant Paulus sprichet, daz sî gotes liebster wille, daz wir heilig sîn. Daz ist unser heilikeit, daz wir kennen, waz wir wâren vor der zît, waz wir sîn in der zît unde waz wir werden nâ der zît. Alse sich diu sêle verliuret in disen drin tagen, sô enahtet si niht ûf den lîcham, biz daz er zuo der sêle kumt in den tempel und ir undertênic wirt âne murmelunge.
God in the Godhead is a spiritual substance that is bottomless, so that no one can speak of it except that it is not. Whoever were to say that it was something would speak more falsely than truly. God in the Trinity is a living light in a clear brightness, and they are so rightly ordered that they are one in nature and distinguished in the persons. That which is life is not the light. If one could say that there were three natures in the distinctions, still there is nothing but one nature in the onefoldness, for they are so rightly ordered in their works that they are one and work alike in all creatures.
Concerning this Saint Augustine says that the righteousness of God in the Godhead and in the Trinity and in all creatures is the greatest joy that is in heaven. God in human nature is a lamp of the living light, and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend the light. The darkness must ever more flee from the light, as night from day. There she learns to know God's dearest will. Saint Paul says that God's dearest will is that we be holy. This is our holiness: that we know what we were before time, what we are in time, and what we shall become after time. When the soul loses herself in these three days, she pays no heed to the body until it comes to the soul in the temple and becomes subject to her without murmuring.
Diu drîveltikeit ist ein herze götlîcher unde menschlîcher nâtûre unde menschlichiu nâtûre fliuzet stêtelîche mit einer minne in die drîveltikeit. Ist daz sache, daz diu sêle über kumt, sô versinket si iemer mê in daz apgründe der gotheit, alsô daz si niemer grunt envindet, ez ensî danne, daz si zîtlîchiu dinc mit ir bringe dar: sô neiget si sich ûffe diu zîtlîchiu dinc unde fliuzet wider in die drîveltikeit. Alsô hânt diu dinc, diu in der zît geschaffen sint, irn grunt, dâ si sich ûf gründent, wan sie vindent in der gotheit keinen grunt. Hie bî mac diu sêle kennen, daz si ein crêatûre ist, und allez daz si hât daz hât si enpfangen in der zît von den drin persônen. Dar umbe muoz si vliezen ûz und în in den drin persônen. Her umbe ergrundete Kristî sêle nie die gotheit alzemâle, wan si ein crêatûre ist und geschaffen ist in der zît. Got der ist der sêle materie an irn werken und niht an irn geschefnisse. Dar umbe sint ir werk êwic, wan er êwic ist. Der materien gebristet ir niemer. Alse daz fiur nimmer materien hât, sô vert ez in sîn lant. Alsô würde diu sêle ze nihte, engienge ir diu materie. Swenne si alle ir werk vollebringet, sô blîbet si mit irn werken in gote, der ir materie ist, unde wirfet sich mit dem einveltigen wesen in die gotheit âne werk und âne materie: daz ist ir lant. Sô ist ir diu gotheit alliu dinc in einer stillen kraft, wan si ist ir ouch alliu dinc, alse daz herze des mers gît alliu wazzer ûz under der erden unde sie vliezent wider in daz herze des mers ob der erden. Als der einen mülstein lieze vallen von der sunnen unde daz ertrîche offen stüende al dur enweg ze rehte, sô viele der mülstein niht für baz dan an daz mittel teil des ertrîches. Daz ist daz herze des ertrîches und enthaltet allez, daz ûf dem ertrîche ist. Alsô ist diu drîveltikeit ein enthalt aller crêatûren, und allez, daz diu gotheit hât, daz hât si einvelticlîch und êwiclich gehabt von ir selber. Der vater ist ein offenbârunge der gotheit, der sun ist ein bilde und ein antlitze des vaters unde der heiligeist ist ein clârheit des antlitzes und ein minne ir beider, und allez daz si hânt daz hânt sie êwiclich gehabt von in selber. Mêr: die drie persône hânt sich geneiget von erbarmde an menschlîche nâtûre unde der sun ist mensche worden unde was hie ûf ertrîche der aller versmâhteste mensche, der ie ûf erden kom, unde leit nôt unde pîne von den crêatûren, die er selbe geschuof mit sîme vater unde dur der willen er mensche wart. Alsus was Kristus in der zît biz in sînen tôt unde dô er von dem tôde erstuont, dô sach man den aller versmâhtesten menschen vereinet mit der gotheit an Kristî persône, der ûf ertrîche ie kam. Daz menschlichiu nâtûre gewaltic was mit götlîcher nâtûre, daz sol si êwicliche hân mit götlîcher nâtûre an einer persône.
Diz ist gotes liebster wille, daz wir uns selben bekennen unde daz wir got bekennen, unde daz ist unser heilikeit, daz wir unserm bekentnisse volgen und allez daz minnen an gote, daz wir bekennen. Har zuo ist der gebunden, der ez von gote enpfangen hât in rehter wârheit, daz er niht anders wellen und minnen müge dan daz got wil unde minnet. Her ûf sprichet sanctus Paulus ‘ich tuon wol unde guot und ich tuon niht denne guot unde mir sint alliu dinc mügelich. Ich hân vil dinges urloup ze tuonde, des ich doch niht enwil, und dar umbe sünde ich niht. Dar umbe ist diu ordenunge unsers herren ûzwendig sünden. Swem alliu dinc mügelich sint, dem ist ouch daz mügelich, daz er die ordenunge halte.’
The Trinity is a heart of divine and human nature, and human nature flows continually with one love into the Trinity. If it happens that the soul passes beyond, she sinks ever more into the bottomless depth of the Godhead, so that she never finds a ground, unless she brings temporal things there with her: then she inclines herself toward temporal things and flows back into the Trinity. Thus the things that are created in time have their ground upon which they are grounded, for they find no ground in the Godhead. By this the soul can know that she is a creature, and everything she has she has received in time from the three persons. Therefore she must flow out and in within the three persons. For this reason Christ's soul never fathomed the Godhead entirely, for it is a creature and was created in time. God is the soul's matter in her works and not in her createdness. Therefore her works are eternal, for he is eternal. She never lacks this matter. Just as fire, when it no longer has matter, goes into its own realm, so the soul would become nothing if her matter failed her. When she has completed all her works, she remains with her works in God, who is her matter, and casts herself with the onefold being into the Godhead without work and without matter: that is her realm. Then the Godhead is all things to her in a silent power, for it is also all things to her, just as the heart of the sea sends all waters out beneath the earth and they flow back into the heart of the sea above the earth. If one were to let a millstone fall from the sun and the earth stood open straight through all the way, the millstone would fall no farther than to the middle part of the earth. That is the heart of the earth and contains everything that is upon the earth. Thus the Trinity is a containment of all creatures, and everything the Godhead has, it has had onefoldly and eternally from itself. The Father is a revelation of the Godhead, the Son is an image and a countenance of the Father, and the Holy Spirit is a radiance of the countenance and a love of them both; and everything they have they have eternally had from themselves. Further: the three persons inclined themselves out of compassion toward human nature, and the Son became man and was here on earth the most despised man who ever came upon earth, and suffered need and pain from the creatures that he himself created with his Father and for whose sake he became man. Thus Christ was in time until his death, and when he rose from death, one saw the most despised man who ever came upon earth united with the Godhead in Christ's person. The power that human nature had with divine nature, it shall eternally have with divine nature in one person.
This is God's dearest will: that we know ourselves and that we know God; and this is our holiness, that we follow our knowledge and love in God everything that we know. To this is bound the one who has received it from God in true truth, so that he can will and love nothing other than what God wills and loves. Concerning this Saint Paul says, ‘I do well and good, and I do nothing but good, and all things are possible to me. I have permission to do many things that I nevertheless do not wish to do, and therefore I do not sin. Therefore our Lord's ordinance is outside sin. To whom all things are possible, it is also possible to keep the ordinance.’
Die heiligen sprechent: alliu dinc sint in got in dem, alse sie êwiclich in gote gewesen sint, niht alsô, daz wir in gote wâren in der gropheit, als wir nû sîn: wir wâren in gote êwicliche, als diu kunst in dem meister. Got sach sich selben an unde sach alliu dinc. Dar umbe was got niht alse manicvaltic, als nû diu dinc sint an irm underscheide. Alleine die crêatûre nû manicvaltic sint, sie sint doch niht dan ein bilde an gote. Got ist an im selben niht dan ein einig ein. Dar umbe als diu crêatûre kumt wider in irn êrsten ursprunc, sô bekennet si got niht dan einvelticlîc an dem bilde und an dem wesenne unde drîveltîc an den werken. Daz daz bekentnis kennet, daz ist daz bekentnis unde daz bekentnis gât niht für baz dan an daz bekante unde mit dem bekanten wirt ez ein. In daz einveltige bilde enkâm nie bekentnis, unde daz einveltige bilde, nâ dem got alle crêatûren geschaffen hât, daz engât allen crêatûren, unde daz erhebet got. Unde sol diu crêatûre dar zuo komen, daz si gote volgen sol dar, dâ er êwicliche erhaben ist, sô muoz si sich erheben über alle crêatûren und ouch über sich selben und über allen iren nutz und nietz unde volgen dem unbekentnisse in die wüesten gotheit. Her ûf sprichet Dionysius: gotes wüestunge ist gotes einvaltigiu nâtûre. Der crêatûren wüestunge ist ir einveltigiu nâtûre. In ir selbes wüestunge sol si beroubet werden ir selbes bilde unde diu gotlich wüestunge sol si verleiten über ir selben in sich, daz si irn namen verliern sol, daz si niht sêle heizen sol, mêr: si sol got mit gote heizen.
Nû mügent ir sprechen: die wîle diu sêle alsus hôhe gezogen ist, war umbe edelt si danne den lîchamen niht alsô, daz er der irdenschen dinge niht bedürfe? Daz merke. Swan diu sêle dar zuo kumt, sô ist der lîcham in der edelkeit, daz er aller crêatûren gebrûchen mac zuo gotes êren, wan zwischen gote unde der sêle ist dan kein underscheit noch hindernisse. Als verre als diu sêle dan gevolget hât gote in die wüeste der gotheit, als verre volget der lîcham unserme herren Jêsû Kristô in die wüeste gewilliges armuotes unde wirt ein mit gote. Sô mac der vater wol sprechen 'diz ist mîn liebester sun, in dem ich mir sô wol gevalle: deme sulent ir volgen.' Alle crêatûre sint bî gote unde daz wesen, daz sie hânt, daz gît in got mit sîner gegenwertikeit. Nû sprichet diu brût in der minne buoche 'ich hân den zirkel umbeloufen und ich enkunde sîn nie zuo ende komen, des hân ich mich in ein punt geworfen.'
The saints say: all things are in God in the way in which they have eternally been in God, not in such a way that we were in God in the grossness in which we now are; we were eternally in God as the art in the master. God beheld himself and beheld all things. Therefore God was not as manifold as things now are in their distinction. Although creatures are now manifold, they are nevertheless nothing but one image in God. God in himself is nothing but a single one. Therefore, when the creature returns to her first origin, she knows God only onefoldly in the image and in being, and threefoldly in the works. What knowledge knows, that is the knowledge, and knowledge goes no farther than the known and with the known it becomes one. Knowledge never entered into the onefold image, and the onefold image according to which God created all creatures eludes all creatures, and this exalts God. And if the creature is to come to the point that she should follow God there where he is eternally exalted, she must rise above all creatures and also above herself and above all her advantage and disadvantage, and follow unknowing into the desert Godhead. Concerning this Saint Dionysius says concerning this: God's wilderness is God's onefold nature. The creature's wilderness is its onefold nature. In her own wilderness she is to be deprived of her own image, and the divine wilderness is to lead her beyond herself into itself, so that she is to lose her name and no longer be called soul; rather, she is to be called God with God.
Now you may say: while the soul is thus raised so high, why then does she not ennoble the body so that it needs none of earthly things? Mark this. When the soul comes to this, the body is in such nobility that it may make use of all creatures for God's honor, for then there is no distinction or hindrance between God and the soul. As far as the soul has then followed God into the wilderness of the Godhead, so far does the body follow our Lord Jesus Christ into the wilderness of willing poverty and becomes one with God. Then the Father may well say, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; him you should follow.' All creatures are with God, and the being that they have God gives them through his presence. Now the bride says in the Book of Love: 'I have run around the circle and could never come to its end; therefore I have cast myself into a point.'
Der zirkel, den diu sêle umbeloufen hât, daz ist allez, daz diu heilige drîveltikeit ie geworhte. Wâ von heizet daz werc der heiligen drîveltikeit ein zirkel? Daz merket. Die drie persônen hânt geworht ir eigen bilde an allen crêatûren, die redelich sint. Alsô ist diu drîveltikeit ein ursprunc aller dinge und alliu dinc went wider in irn ursprunc. Daz ist der zirkel, den diu sêle umbeloufen hât. Wenne umbeloufet si den zirkel? Daz tuot si dan, swenne si gedenket, allez daz er geschaffen hât, daz er des tûsent stunt mê geschaffen möhte obe er wolte. Alsus hât diu sêle den zirkel umbeloufen unde kan sîn doch niht ze ende komen. Daz ist daz aller minste, daz er geschaffen hât. Des enkan si niht ze ende komen noch ergründen an sîner wirdikeit. Swenne diu sêle alsus alliu dinc durchloufen hât, sô wirfet si sich in daz punt des zirkels. Daz punt ist diu vermügentheit der drîveltikeit, in der si al ir werc geworht hât unbewegelich. Dâ inne wirt diu sêle alvermügende.
Die drie persônen sint ein alvermügentheit. Daz ist der unbewegeliche punt unde diu einikeit der drîveltikeit. Der zirkel ist diu unbegrîfenlicheit der wirkunge der drier persône. Daz punt beweget sich niht. Diu einunge der drier persônen daz ist daz wesen des puntes, und alsô diu sêle geeiniget wirt an daz unbewegeliche punt, dâ an vermag si alliu dinc. Aber mit den kreften, an den si gebildet ist nâ der drîveltikeit, mit den kan si die einikeit niht begrîfen. Dar umbe hât diu würkunge der drîvaltikeit gehindert manigen hôhen meister ze Parîs, daz er sich sô vil bewar mit der würkunge der drîveltikeit, daz sie niht zuo der einikeit mohten komen. Daz punt ist an allen enden glîch nâhe, alse diu zît in allen landen. Nû ist hie diu zît, nû ist zuo Rôme diu selbe zît. Diu brût sprichet in der minne buoche 'er hêt mich verwunt mit einem blicke sînes ougen.' Daz ist diu einunge, diu dâ har abe fliuzet von dem punten unde scheidet die sêle von allen crêatûren und bewegelîchen dingen unde zucket die sêle wider ûf in daz punt, alsô daz si an daz punt vereinet und êwekliche dar bestêtiget wirt.
The circle which the soul has run around is everything that the Holy Trinity has ever wrought. Why is the work of the Holy Trinity called a circle? Mark this. The three persons have wrought their own image in all creatures that are rational. Thus the Trinity is an origin of all things, and all things return to their origin. That is the circle which the soul has run around. When does she run around the circle? She does so when she considers that, for everything he has created, he could have created a thousand times more if he wished. Thus the soul has run around the circle and yet cannot come to its end. This is the very least of what he has created. She cannot come to its end nor fathom its worthiness. When the soul has thus run through all things, she casts herself into the point of the circle. The point is the power of the Trinity, in which it has wrought all its works immovably. Therein the soul becomes all-powerful.
The three persons are one omnipotence. That is the unmoved point and the unity of the Trinity. The circle is the incomprehensibility of the working of the three persons. The point does not move. The union of the three persons is the being of the point, and insofar as the soul is united with the unmoved point, in it she can do all things. But with the powers according to which she is formed after the Trinity she cannot comprehend the unity. Therefore the working of the Trinity has hindered many a high master at Paris, because he occupied himself so much with the working of the Trinity that they could not come to the unity. The point is equally near at all ends, just as time is in all lands. Now it is time here, and now it is the same time at Rome. The bride says in the Book of Love: 'He has wounded me with a glance of his eye.' This is the union which flows down from the point and separates the soul from all creatures and movable things and draws the soul back up into the point, so that she is united with the point and eternally established there.
Disen blic sol man bekennen in dem gemerke der sêle, sô si alse lidic ist, daz dâ kein üebunge ist in ir der tugende noch der untugende. Sô diu sêle alsô lidic ist, swaz dan an si vellet, daz bekennet si ûf daz hœhste, unde dar umbe wirfet er sînen blic in die sêle durch daz, daz si eht bekenne, daz er sî bekante unde minnete, dô si an ir selben niht enwas. Diz sol der sêle ein grôziu manunge sîn ze gênne ûzer ir selber. Den dirre blic niht verwundet, der enwirt noch enwart von minnen niemer wunt.
Herre, dû sprichest, dû habest mich gemachet dir selben glîch. Daz trifet über alle sinne, wand ez ist kein meister sô wîse, der ein bilde künne gemachen, daz ime selben glîch sî. Sô sprichet si: herre, wande dû mich dir selben glîch geschaffen hâst, sô gib mir, daz ich dich sehen müge in der gewalt dîner kraft, in der dû mich geschaffen hâst, unde dich bekenne in der wîsheit, in der dû mich bekant hâst, unde dich begrîfe, als dû mich begriffen hâst, unde gib mir, herre, daz ich von dîner genâde geeiniget werde in dîne nâtûre, alse dîn sun êwekliche ein ist an dîner nâtûre, unde daz dîn gnâde werde mîn nâtûre: wand, herre, dîn gnâde wirt nâtûre und in dîner gnâde werde wir got, als der vater in sîner nâtûre got ist von nâtûre.
This glance is to be known in the soul's awareness when she is so passive that there is in her no exercise of virtue or vice. When the soul is thus passive, whatever then falls upon her she knows in the highest way, and therefore he casts his glance into the soul so that she may indeed know that he knew and loved her when she was nothing in herself. This should be a great admonition to the soul to go out of herself. Whoever is not wounded by this glance neither becomes nor ever was wounded by love.
Lord, you say that you have made me like yourself. This surpasses all the senses, for there is no master so wise that he can make an image that is like himself. Then she says: Lord, since you have created me like yourself, give me that I may see you in the power of your strength in which you created me, and know you in the wisdom in which you knew me, and comprehend you as you comprehended me; and give me, Lord, that by your grace I may be united in your nature, as your Son is eternally one in your nature, and that your grace may become my nature: for, Lord, your grace becomes nature, and in your grace we become God, as the Father in his nature is God by nature.
Har an manet uns Kristus, daz wir vollekomen sîn, als sîn himelscher vater volkomen ist in sîner nâtûre. Er sprichet 'got ist iu nâher denne ir iu selber sint.' Daz sprichet ouch sant Augustinus: diu sêle hât einen heimelichen înganc in gotlîche nâtûre, in deme ir alliu dinc ze nihte werdent. Dô wart si von kennende kennelôs, von minnende minnelôs, von willen willelôs unde von liehte vinster. Bekande si got, daz wêr ir ein gebreste; bekande si sich an gote, daz wêr ir ein gebreste; oder bekande si got an ir, daz wêr ir ein gebreste. Si sol daz unbegrîfenliche wesen in sich ziehen boben allez bekentnisse von gnâden, als der vater von nâtûre, unde sol daz geborne wesen in dem bekentnisse hân, als ez der vater in ime hât, unde sol sich ir selben verstelen und alsô tringen in daz blôze wesen, unde dâ sol si sich aller dinge alse wênic an nemen, alse si tet dô si ûzer gote flôz. Si sol sô gar ze nihte werden an ir selben, daz dâ niht enblîbe dan got, unde daz si got überschîne als diu sunne den mânen, unde daz si mit der selben cleinfüegunge, diu got ist, vlieze in allez daz, dar got êwekliche in got vliezende ist.
Als dû mich begriffen hâst: zwei dinc sint hie ze vernemende. Daz eine, daz diu sêle bekennet, daz si von nihte geschaffen ist. Her umbe begert si den ze sehene, der sî geschaffen hât. Daz ander, daz si sprichet: daz ich dich sehen müeze, als dû mich geschaffen hâst. Dâ meinet si, daz si bevinde der triuwe unde der minne, in der er sî geschaffen hât. Dâ siht diu sêle got unde durchsiht sîn doch niht. Dâ sol si got kennen unde sol sîn doch niht ze grunde bekennen, unde dâ sol si got begrîfen unde doch niemer unbegrîfen alsô, als er sich selben unbegrîfet. Dâ von sprichet sant Paulus 'danne sule wir in bekennen, als wir ime bekant sîn.' Swenne dan diu sêle entplœzet wirt irs eigenes wesennes unde got alleine ir wesen ist, dâ siht si got mit gote, dâ bekennet si unde begrîfet got mit gote. Diz sprichet ein hôher meister, daz diu sêle got sehen, bekennen unde begrîfen süle mit sîme eigenen wesenne, daz dâ weselich der sêle wesen ist. Dâ siht unde bekennet unde begrîfet diu sêle got, alse si begriffen ist in eime blôzen bekennen gotlîcher nâtûre.
To this Christ admonishes us, that we should be perfect, as his heavenly Father is perfect in his nature. He says, 'God is nearer to you than you are to yourselves.' Saint Augustine also says this: the soul has a secret entrance into divine nature, in which all things become nothing to her. Then she became unknowing from knowing, loveless from loving, will-less from willing, and dark from light. If she knew God, that would be a deficiency in her; if she knew herself in God, that would be a deficiency in her; or if she knew God in herself, that would be a deficiency in her. She should draw incomprehensible being into herself above all knowledge by grace, as the Father does by nature, and should possess begotten being in knowledge as the Father has it in himself; and she should steal herself from herself and thus press into bare being, and there she should take as little account of all things as she did when she flowed out from God. She should become so utterly nothing in herself that nothing remains there but God, and that she should outshine God as the sun does the moon, and that with the same subtlety that God is she should flow into all that into which God eternally flows in God.
'As you have comprehended me': two things are to be understood here. The one is that the soul knows that she was created from nothing. Therefore she desires to see the one who created her. The other is that she says: that I may see you as you created me. By this she means that she may find the fidelity and the love in which he created her. There the soul sees God and yet does not see through him. There she should know God and yet not know him to the ground, and there she should comprehend God and yet never comprehend him so as to make him comprehended, just as he comprehends himself incomprehensibly. Therefore Saint Paul says, 'Then shall we know him as we are known by him.' When the soul is stripped of her own being and God alone is her being, there she sees God with God, there she knows and comprehends God with God. A high master says that the soul should see, know, and comprehend God with his own being, which is essentially the soul's being. There the soul sees and knows and comprehends God, as she is comprehended in a bare knowing of divine nature.
Nû vernement! daz niht, mit dem diu sêle gât ze nihte, daz ist ein abekêren von allen bilden unde formen, alsô daz si ûf den ir keime blîbe; wan gotlîch nâtûre ist weder bilde noch forme. Swenne dan diu sêle gescheiden ist von allen bilden unde formen, sô ist si gelîchet der formelôsen nâtûre gotes. Diz ist der heimlîche inganc der sêle in gotlîche nâtûre. Swenne diu sêle niht enhât, ûf dem si irre, sô ist si bereit ze gênne in daz gelîchnisse gotes. Diz heizet mit nihte gegangen ze nihte, daz gotlîch nâtûre ist, dar zuo nieman komen mac, ern sî dan entplœzet von allem geistlîchen materien. Eyâ, wie sêre sie sich hinderent diss heimlîchen înganges, die sô lîhteklîchen belîbent ûf lîplîchen dingen! Hie zuo manet Dionysius einen sînen junger. Eyâ, sprach er, wiltû komen in die kuntschaft der verborgenen heimlîcheit gotes, sô muostû übergân allez, daz dich gehindern mac an lûterr bekentnisse, daz dû begrîfen maht mit verstentnisse, wan got hât niht sô verborgens, daz ez der sêle unmügelich wære, diu ez eht mit flîze unde mit wîsheit kunde suochen. Diz ist swêre ze vernemende, daz niht sô verborgens sî an im, daz ir unmügelich sî. Diz sulent ir mit flîze merken.
Aller dinge kraft ist an irm wesenne. Sô hât diu sêle eine vermügentheit in ir, alliu dinc ze bekennende an irre hœhsten kraft, unde wirfet sich in einen winkel alzemâle. Swenne diu sêle alsus entplœzet wirt von allen dingen, sô wirt ir entplœzet diu verborgenheit sîns wesens. Sô wirt si vermügende gemachet, zuo enpfâhende die vermügentheit sîner verborgenheit. Dâ von sprichet sant Paulus 'ich vermag alliu dinc in dem, der mich sterket.' Eyâ, edele sêle, ensuoche dir selben keine stat anders dan daz undürftige niht, daz dich geschaffen hât, daz selbe dîn stat wil sîn an sîner unbewegelicheit: dâ solt dû unbewegelîcher werden dan niht. Hie wider sprechent etliche wîse liute unde sprechent, daz diz niht müge sîn, unde sprechent: niht, daz ist unbewegelich: wie möhte dan diu sêle unbewegelîcher werden dan niht? want diu sêle ist ein ungeschaffen iht unde mac man sî bewegen, wan si ist bewegelich; niht ist unbewegelich. Nû merket. Diu sêle wirt beweget ûzer eime liehte in daz ander alse lange, biz daz si kumt in die hœhste wârheit, in der alliu dinc endent. Nochdanne ist diu sêle bewegelich; wan si bevindet eins andern dan daz si selber ist. Niht daz enhât enkein bevinden: dar umbe ist iht bewegelîcher dan niht. Diz ist diu widerspräche diss sinnes. Eyâ, diu berihtunge, wie diu sêle unbewegelîcher werden süle denne niht, daz merket.
Now understand! The nothing by which the soul goes to nothing is a turning away from all images and forms, so that she remains upon none of them; for divine nature is neither image nor form. When the soul is separated from all images and forms, she is likened to the formless nature of God. This is the secret entrance of the soul into divine nature. When the soul has nothing upon which she may go astray, she is ready to enter into the likeness of God. This is called going with nothing into nothing, which is divine nature, to which no one can come unless he is stripped of all spiritual matter. Ah, how greatly those hinder themselves from this secret entrance who so readily remain upon bodily things! To this Dionysius admonishes one of his disciples. Ah, he said, if you wish to come into the knowledge of the hidden mystery of God, then you must pass beyond everything that can hinder you in pure knowledge which you can comprehend with understanding, for God has nothing so hidden that it would be impossible for the soul, if only she knew how to seek it with diligence and wisdom. This is hard to understand: that there is nothing so hidden in him that it is impossible for her. This you should mark with diligence.
The power of all things is in their being. Thus the soul has a power in herself to know all things in her highest power, and she casts herself wholly into one corner. When the soul is thus stripped of all things, the hiddenness of his being is laid bare to her. Thus she is made powerful to receive the power of his hiddenness. Therefore Saint Paul says, 'I can do all things in him who strengthens me.' Ah, noble soul, seek for yourself no place other than the need-free nothing that created you; that same wishes to be your place in its immovability: there you should become more immovable than nothing. Some wise people contradict this and say that this cannot be, and they say: nothing is immovable; how then could the soul become more immovable than nothing? For the soul is an uncreated something and one can move her, for she is movable; nothing is immovable. Now mark this. The soul is moved out of one light into another until she comes into the highest truth in which all things end. Even then the soul is movable, for she finds something other than what she herself is. Nothing has no finding; therefore something is more movable than nothing. This is the contradiction in this sense. Ah, mark the explanation of how the soul should become more immovable than nothing.
Daz oberste guot, daz got ist, daz ist unbewegelîcher denne niht, unde swaz danne des obersten unbewegelîchen guotes glîchnis aller meist an ime hât, daz ist ouch aller unbewegelîchest. Nû möhtent ir sprechen: niht daz ist gote gelîch, wande si beide niht sint. Nein, alsô ist ez niht! wand niht daz ist ime selben niht und allen crêatûren. Sô ist got ime selben sîn iht, und ist niht deme begriffe aller crêatûren. Doch giht crêatûrlich iht nâtûrlich mê des gotlîchen ihtes denne sîn selbes. Daz gotlîch iht ist ein vernünftic wesen. Dionysius sprichet: daz vernünftic lieht, daz got ist, daz hât sîn glîchnisse geben der vernünftigen sêle. Wan danne got unbewegelîcher ist dan niht, swenne dan diu sêle beweget wirt in die unbewegelîcheit irs ihtes, daz got ist, dâ ist si unbewegelîcher worden dan niht. Niht ist bewegelich worden ûzer ime selben, wand niht iht worden ist, unde wirt noch alzît beweget, swan iht von nihte geschaffen wirt. Alsô geschiht aber der sêle niht, mêr: si belîbet iemer ein iht unde mac niht werden ein niht. Seht, hie ist diu sêle unbewegelîcher danne niht, wan si got in ir vrîheit gesetzet hât, vrî ze sagenne iren frîgen willen.
Diz bewegen suochet den, der selbe nie geminnete noch der nie geminnet wart. Diz sülent ir alsus verstân. Swenne diu sêle mit aller kraft unde mügentheit sich erhebet über sich selben ze minnende daz hœhste guot, sô verstêt si wol, daz si daz gotlîche iht niergen erlangen mac mit aller ir vermügentheit. Dâ kêret si wider in sich selben, unde daz unberüerliche iht belîbet ungeminnet von ir und von allem dem, daz er selber niht enist. Alsô wirt daz gotlîch iht nie geminnet von ir noch von allem, daz er selber niht enist noch der selbe nie geminnete.
The highest good, which is God, is more immovable than nothing, and whatever has most of the likeness of the highest immovable good in itself is also the most immovable of all. Now you might say: nothing is like God, because they both are nothing. No, it is not so! For nothing is nothing to itself and to all creatures. Thus God is his own something, and is nothing to the comprehension of all creatures. Yet created something naturally gives more of the divine something than of its own self. The divine something is an intellectual being. Dionysius says: the intellectual light that God is has given its likeness to the intellectual soul. Since God is more immovable than nothing, when the soul is moved into the immovability of her something, which is God, there she has become more immovable than nothing. Nothing has been moved outside itself, because nothing has become something, and it is still always moved whenever something is created from nothing. But it does not so happen to the soul; rather, she always remains a something and cannot become a nothing. See, here the soul is more immovable than nothing, because God has set her in her freedom, free to express her own free will.
This movement seeks the one who himself never loved and who was never loved. You should understand this in this way. When the soul with all her power and capacity raises herself above herself to love the highest good, she understands well that with all her capacity she can nowhere attain the divine something. Then she turns back into herself, and the untouchable something remains unloved by her and by everything that he himself is not. Thus the divine something is never loved by her nor by anything that he himself is not, nor did he himself ever love.
Diz sol man alsô verstân. Er minnet niht danne sich selben oder sîn glîchnis in allen dingen. Aber dâ er weder minne noch kein genantheit ist, dâ enminnet er noch enwirt nie geminnet. Diz meinde sant Dionysius, dô er sprach: got wonet in einer unberüerlicher stilheit. Nû sprichet diu brût in der minne buoche ‘ich hân überstigen alle berge unde die vermügentheit mîn selbes biz an die dunster kraft des vaters.’ Nû merkent, waz si meinet! dâ si sprichet, daz si überstigen habe alle berge, dâ mite meinet si einen überganc aller redelicheit, die si geleisten mac an irre vermügentheit biz an die dunster kraft des vaters, dâ alliu redelicheit endet. ‘Dâ hôrt ich sunder lût, dâ sach ich sunder lieht, dâ rouch ich sunder bewegen, dâ smaht ich des dâ niht enwas, dâ enpfant ich des dâ niht enbleib. Har nâch wart mîn herze grundelôs, mîn sêle minnelôs, mîn geist formelôs unde mîn nâtûre weselôs.’
Nû merkent, waz diu sêle meine, dô si sprichet ‘dâ hôrte ich sunder lût.’ Sunder lût hœren daz ist ein inwendic vernemen in eime geursprunclîchen bevindenne, dâ alliu redelicheit endet. ‘Dâ sach ich sunder lieht.’ Sunder lieht sehen ist ein blôz dunster bevinden in dem nihte. ‘Dâ rouch ich sunder bewegen.’ Daz ist ein îndruk der einekeit, dâ alliu dinc inne stillent. ‘Dâ smaht ich des dâ niht enwas.’ Daz ist, ob aller entpfintlicheit swebet diu stille dunster einekeit. ‘Dâ enpfant ich des dâ niht enbleib.’ Daz ist diu entfrömdekeit des unvermengeten wesens aller crêatûren, daz doch aller wesen wesen ist. ‘Har nâch wart mîn herze grundelôs’: daz ist daz überwunderende wunder aller mîner vermügentheit. ‘Unde mîn sêle wart minnelôs’: daz ist diu entplœzunge aller mîner krefte unde mîner sinne. ‘Unde mîn geist wart formelôs’: daz ist diu îndrükinge des geistes in die ungeformete forme unde bilde, daz got ist. ‘Unde mîn nâtûre wart weselôs’: daz sit, daz mîner nâtûre ir wesen ensinket alsô, daz dâ niht enblîbet dan ein einic ist. Diss istes wesen ist diu einekeit, diu irs selbes wesen ist und aller dinge. Hie von sprichet sant Dionysius: daz einic ein ist leben der lebenden, wesen der wesenden, rede der redenden, nâtûre der nâtûre und ist lieht der liehte. Dâ von sprichet sant Jacob ‘diu allervolkomenste gâbe kumt von dem vater der liehte,’ noch lieht noch leben noch nâtûre. Dionysius sprichet: diu êrste sache ist ob allen namen, si ist überminnic, überweselich, überverstentlich, überredelich und übernâtûrelich. Diu êrste sache ist noch lieht noch dusternis. Eyâ, alsô ist si entfrömdet allen gesacheten sachen.
This is to be understood in this way. He loves nothing but himself or his likeness in all things. But where he is neither love nor any name, there he neither loves nor is ever loved. Dionysius meant this when he said: God dwells in an untouchable stillness. Now the bride says in the Book of Love, ‘I have climbed beyond all mountains and the capacity of myself as far as the dark power of the Father.’ Now mark what she means! When she says that she has climbed beyond all mountains, she means by this a passing-beyond of all rationality that she can exercise in her capacity, as far as the dark power of the Father, where all rationality ends. ‘There I heard without sound, there I saw without light, there I smelled without movement, there I tasted that which was not there, there I received that which did not remain. Thereafter my heart became groundless, my soul loveless, my spirit formless, and my nature beingless.’
Now mark what the soul means when she says, ‘There I heard without sound.’ To hear without sound is an inward perceiving in a primordial apprehension, where all rationality ends. ‘There I saw without light.’ To see without light is a bare dark finding in nothing. ‘There I smelled without movement.’ That is an imprint of oneness in which all things fall silent. ‘There I tasted that which was not there.’ That means: above all sensibility hovers the still dark oneness. ‘There I received that which did not remain.’ That is the alienness of the unmixed being of all creatures, which is nevertheless the being of all beings. ‘Thereafter my heart became groundless’: that is the wonder surpassing all wonder of all my capacity. ‘And my soul became loveless’: that is the stripping of all my powers and my senses. ‘And my spirit became formless’: that is the imprinting of the spirit into the unformed form and image that God is. ‘And my nature became beingless’: that means that the being of my nature sinks away so that nothing remains there but a single ‘is’. The being of this ‘is’ is oneness, which is its own being and the being of all things. Concerning this Saint Dionysius says: the single One is the life of the living, the being of beings, the speech of speakers, the nature of nature, and the light of lights. Therefore Saint James says, ‘the most perfect gift comes from the Father of lights,’ neither light nor life nor nature. Dionysius says: the first cause is above all names; it is beyond love, beyond being, beyond understanding, beyond reason, and beyond nature. The first cause is neither light nor darkness. Ah, thus it is estranged from all caused things.
Nû sprichet diu sêle in der minne buoche ‘mir ist nieman got und ich bin niemanne sêle.’ Daz si sprichet ‘mir ist nieman got,’ dâ meinet si allez, daz iht ist oder dehein genantheit enpfangen hât, daz enist ir got niht. Daz ander, daz si sprichet ‘und ich bin niemanne sêle’, dâ meinet si, daz si sô gar entplœzet ist ir selbes, daz si niht hât an ir selben, daz dâ ieman müge sîn mit ihte. Diz ist ouch daz rehte wesen, daz diu sêle hân sol: entplœzet ze sîne aller dinge. Diu sêle sprichet in der minne buoche ‘er mir und ich ime.’ Si hête vil baz gesprochen: er mir niht und ich ime niht, wand got ist ime selben an allem dem, daz er in allem ist. Dar umbe nimet si sich nihtes an, wan si hât allez daz verlorn, dem ieman gesîn mac mit ihte oder mit dem si iemanne gesîn mac. Alsô enist ir nieman got noch si niemanne sêle, wande si sprichet selbe in der minne buoche ‘fliuch von mir ûf dien vederen der winde.’
Nû merkent, welez die vederen der winde sîn, obe den diu sêle wonet. Die vederen sint die kœre von Seraphîn. Die winde der vederen daz ist daz klâre verstentnis der Seraphîn. Dar über wonet diu sêle. Diz mac der sêlen anders niht geschehen, si enmüeze ê engân allen bilden unde formen, alsô daz si in ir niht enhabe noch ûf der enkeime blîbe. Si muoz ouch abe gân und entsinken irre eigen bewegelicheit. Swenne si alsus entplœzet wirt aller geschaffenheit, sô enhât si enhein enthalt unde sinket in daz blôze niht; dâ inne ist si verborgen allen crêatûren. Daz selbe niht mac Seraphîn mit sîme verstentnisse niht erlangen: in dem nihte wonet diu sêle ob Seraphîn und allem sîme verstentnisse. Alsus ist der sêle wonunge ûffe den vederen der winde.
Now the soul says in the Book of Love, ‘No one is God to me and I am no one’s soul.’ When she says, ‘No one is God to me,’ she means that everything that is something or has received any name is not God to her. The second, when she says, ‘and I am no one’s soul,’ she means that she is so completely stripped of herself that she has nothing in herself with which anyone could be anything. This is also the right being that the soul should have: to be stripped of all things. The soul says in the Book of Love, ‘he to me and I to him.’ She would have spoken much better: he nothing to me and I nothing to him, for God is himself in all that he is in all things. Therefore she takes nothing to herself, for she has lost everything through which anyone can be something with anything or through which she can be something to anyone. Thus no one is God to her, nor is she anyone’s soul, for she herself says in the Book of Love, ‘Flee from me upon the wings of the winds.’
Now mark what the wings of the winds are, above which the soul dwells. The wings are the choirs of Seraphim. The winds of the wings are the clear understanding of the Seraphim. Above this the soul dwells. This cannot happen otherwise to the soul unless she first passes beyond all images and forms, so that she has nothing in herself nor remains upon any one of them. She must also go down and sink away from her own mobility. When she is thus stripped of all createdness, she has no support and sinks into bare nothing; there she is hidden from all creatures. The Seraphim cannot attain that same nothing with their understanding: in the nothing the soul dwells above the Seraphim and all their understanding. Thus the soul’s dwelling is upon the wings of the winds.
Eyâ, wie edellîche der mensche leben muoz, der har zuo komen sol! wie gar er muoz getœtet werden an aller hande bewegelicheit! Hie von sprichet sant Johannes ‘sêlic sint die tôten, die in gote sterbent.’ Dar umbe solt dû, mensche, lidic unde blôz sîn alles gemerkes unde prüevens unde aller sinnelicheit. Wande got disses alles lidic unde blôz ist, alsô soltû, sêle, lidic unde blôz sîn, wiltû verstân die verborgenheit sîner tougen. Seht, alsô muoz wêrliche der mensche entplœzet sîn aller sîner sinne. Hie von sprichet Dionysius ze eime sîner jüngern Timothêô, dô sant Paulus getœtet wart, von dem sich diu rede erhuob: eyâ, herzefriunt! sülen wir die lieplîche stimme unsers meisters niemer mê gehœren? Dô antwurte im der sêlige unde sprach: friunt mîn, Timothêe, ich râte uns, daz wir alliu lîplîchiu dinc lâzen unde gân zuo gote. Daz mügen wir anders niht getuon dan mit blinden ougen unde mit frömden sinnen, niht alsô, daz wir valsche sinne sülen haben, mêr: wir sülen übergân alle sinne und verstentnisse in sîne verborgen einekeit. Dâ von sprichet sant Augustînus: diu sêle hât einen heimelîchen înganc in gotlîche nâtûre, dâ ir alliu dinc ze nihte inne werdent. Dâ wirt si von bekennene kennelôs, von willen willelôs unde von liehte dunster. Bekante si sich, daz wêr ir ein gebreste; bekante si got, daz wêr ir ein gebreste; bekante si sich got oder got an ir, daz wêr ir ein gebreste: si sol gar ze nihte werden an ir selben, daz dâ niht enblîbe dan got, unde daz si got alsô überschîne, als diu sunne den mânen tuot, unde daz si mit der selben kleinvüegunge, diu got ist, vlieze in alle êwikeit der gotheit, dâ got êweklîche in got geflozzen hât. Niht ist âne begin, unde wan niht âne begin ist, des moht uns got niht edeler gemachen dan von nihte, ime selben glîch. Alleine diu gotlîche kraft die sêle geschaffen habe, si ist doch âne materie, als er âne materie ist. Dâ von mac diu sêle niht heimlîchers zuoganges hân in gotlîche nâtûre dan mit nihte zuo nihte, wan niht sô sêre eineget alse glîch von nâtûre. Her ûf sprichet sant Johannes Chrysostomus, daz diz nieman vernemen mac, ern sî danne mit den ûzern unde mit den innern sinnen gezogen in ein blôz bekentnisse gotlîcher nâtûre. Daz niht, daz wir wâren ê daz wir wurden, daz bedorfte nihtes niht. Ez vermohte ouch von ime selben nihtes niht, unde niht widerstuont allen crêatûren dan alleine gotlîcher kraft: diu mahte daz niht bewegelich, wand got alliu dinc von nihte geschuof.
Nû sulen wir unbewegelîcher werden danne niht. Alse wie? Daz merke. Wan got die sêle in ir selbes vrîheit hât gesat alsô, daz er über irn vrîen willen niemer niht ir wil getuon noch er enwil von ir niemer niht gemuoten, des si niht enwil, dar umbe, swaz diu sêle erwelt in disem lîbe mit irm vrîen willen, dar ûf mac si wol bestân. Wil si dan dar zuo komen, daz si nihtes bedürfe unt daz si unbewegelîcher werde danne niht, sô sol si alle ir krefte samenen in irn vrîen willen, alsô daz si ungehindert blîbe von ir selben unde von allen dingen, unde sol sich vereinen in dem unbewegelîchen gote, der nie beweget wart von deheinen werken, diu diu heilige drîveltikeit ie geworhte, und alles des niht bedorfte, daz diu heilige drîvaltikeit ie geworhte. Sol diu sêle dar zuo komen, daz si nihtes bedürfe unde unbewegelîcher werde danne niht, sô muoz si alse genzlîche gesenket werden in des grundelôsen brunnen grunt des gotlîchen nihtes, daz sî dâr ûz nihtes niht geziehen müge, daz si sich niemer ûf nideriu dinc geneige und alsô stêtelîche dâ belîbe, als der himelsche vater in sîner nâtûre êweclîche blîbend ist âne alle hindernisse, daz diu sêle alsô dâ belîbe âne hindernisse, alse verre ez crêatûren mügelich ist.
Ah, how nobly the person must live who is to come to this! How completely must he be put to death in every kind of mobility! Concerning this Saint John says, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in God.’ Therefore you, human being, should be free and bare of all awareness and discernment and all sensibility. Because God is free and bare of all this, so should you, soul, be free and bare if you wish to understand the hiddenness of his mystery. See, truly the person must thus be stripped of all his senses. Concerning this Dionysius says to one of his disciples, Timothy, when Saint Paul had been put to death and this conversation arose from it: Ah, friend of my heart! Shall we never again hear the lovely voice of our master? Then the blessed one answered him and said: my friend Timothy, I counsel us to leave all bodily things and go to God. We can do this in no other way than with blind eyes and estranged senses—not that we should have false senses, but rather: we should pass beyond all senses and understandings into his hidden oneness. Concerning this Saint Augustine says: the soul has a secret entrance into divine nature, where all things become nothing to her. There she becomes unknowing from knowing, will-less from willing, and dark from light. If she knew herself, that would be a deficiency in her; if she knew God, that would be a deficiency in her; if she knew herself as God or God in herself, that would be a deficiency in her. She should become wholly nothing in herself, so that nothing remains there but God, and so that she should outshine God as the sun does the moon, and with the same subtlety that God is, flow into all the eternity of the Godhead, where God has eternally flowed into God. Nothing is without beginning, and because nothing is without beginning, God could make us no nobler than from nothing, like himself. Although the divine power created the soul, she is nevertheless without matter, as he is without matter. Therefore the soul can have no more secret access into divine nature than with nothing into nothing, for nothing unites so strongly as like with like by nature. Concerning this Saint John Chrysostom says that no one can perceive this unless he be drawn with the outer and inner senses into a bare knowledge of divine nature. The nothing that we were before we became needed nothing at all. Of itself it was capable of nothing at all, and nothing withstood all creatures except divine power alone: it made nothing movable, because God created all things from nothing.
Now we are to become more immovable than nothing. How so? Mark this. Because God has set the soul in her own freedom in such a way that, against her free will, he will never do anything to her, nor will he ever demand from her anything that she does not will; therefore whatever the soul chooses in this life with her free will, upon that she can indeed remain. If she wishes then to come to the point where she needs nothing and becomes more immovable than nothing, she should gather all her powers into her free will, so that she remains unhindered by herself and by all things, and should unite herself with the immovable God, who was never moved by any works that the Holy Trinity ever wrought and had no need of anything that the Holy Trinity ever wrought. If the soul is to come to the point where she needs nothing and becomes more immovable than nothing, she must be so completely sunk into the ground of the groundless well of the divine nothing that nothing can draw her out of it, so that she never inclines herself toward lower things and thus remains steadfastly there, as the heavenly Father remains eternally in his nature without any hindrance, so that the soul likewise remains there without hindrance, insofar as it is possible for creatures.
Sage, guote, war umbe wêre diz der sêle niht mügelich, diu har zuo geschaffen ist? Nû merke. Daz ist des schult, wan si sich ûf nideriu dinc neiget unde lât sich dâ mite genüegen, dar umbe sint ir unmügelich diu dinc, diu ob ir sint; wand got hât niht sô verborgens an allem sînem wesenne, daz der sêle unmügelich sî, diu eht sô edel ist, daz si ez gesuochen kan. Eyâ, edeliu sêle, ganc ûzer dir selben, alsô daz dû in dich selben niemer wider komest, unde ganc in got, alsô daz dû niemer wider ûz ime komest, und enthalt dich dâ alsô, daz dû dich niemer har wider ûf crêatûre geneigest; und allez, daz dir geoffenbâret wirt, dâ mite belade dich niht, und allez, daz dir gegenwertic ist, dar an irre dich niht noch hinder dich niht mit deheime dienste in keiner vollebringunge. Volge vaste dîner blôzen nâtûre unde dem undürftigen nihte unde suoch kein ander stat danne daz undürftige niht. Got, der dich von nihte geschuof, der sol selbe dîn stat sîn an sîme undürftigen nihte und an sîner unbewegelîcheit. Dâ soltû unbewegelîcher werden denne niht.
Die gote dienent umbe lôn mit ûzern werken, den sol gelônet werden mit geschaffenen dingen als himelrîche unde himelschiu dinc. Die aber gote dienent mit innerlîchen werken, den sol gelônet werden mit dem, daz ungeschaffen ist, daz ist mit den werken der heiligen drîveltikeit.
Say, good one, why should this not be possible for the soul, which has been created for this? Now mark. It is her fault, because she inclines herself toward lower things and lets herself be satisfied with them; therefore the things above her are impossible for her. For God has nothing so hidden in all his being that it would be impossible for the soul, provided she is so noble that she can seek it. Ah, noble soul, go out of yourself so that you never return into yourself, and go into God so that you never come out of him again, and keep yourself there so that you never again incline yourself toward creatures; and whatever is revealed to you, do not burden yourself with it, and whatever is present to you, do not let it lead you astray or hinder you with any service in any completion. Follow firmly your bare nature and the need-free nothing, and seek no other place than the need-free nothing. God, who created you from nothing, shall himself be your place in his need-free nothing and in his immovability. There you should become more immovable than nothing.
Those who serve God for reward with outward works shall be rewarded with created things such as the kingdom of heaven and heavenly things. But those who serve God with inward works shall be rewarded with that which is uncreated, that is, with the works of the Holy Trinity.
Nû merke. Zergienge daz fiur, sô enwære kein lieht; zergienge diu erde, sô enwære kein leben; zergienge der luft, sô enwære kein minne; zergienge daz wazzer, sô enwære kein stat. Dar umbe ist got niht lieht noch leben noch minne noch nâtûre noch geist noch schîn noch allez, daz man geworten mac. Ez ist got in got und ist got ûzer gote geflozzen, unde got hât sich in ime selben got unde hâtsich in allen sînen crêatûren got unde hât sich in einer edelen sêle sunderlîch. Der vater ist alwaltic in der sêle, der sun alwîse, der heilig geist alminnende in der sêle und er minnet alle crêatûren mit einer glîchen minne. Er bewîset sich aber in ungelîch, unt dar zuo ist diu sêle geschaffen, daz si ez bekennen solte als ez ist, unde solde ez begrîfen als ez ist, unde solde sich dâ mite bekümbern unde solde sich senken in die blôzheit des grundelôsen brunnen gotlîcher nâtûren unde solde dâ als ein werden mit gote, daz si selbe sprechen möhte, daz si got wêre. Als abe gezogen solde diu sêle sîn an ir selber, daz si dekeiniu gemachiu oder genametiu dinc an sich gebilden möhte, unde solde als blôz sîn an ir selben, alse got aller namen ist, unde solde sich erheben über sich selben in iren got unde solde sich halten mit irm gote für irn got: wand got ist weder wîz noch swarz noch grôz noch kleine, ern hât niht stat noch kein vergangene noch volgende zît unde diu sêle ist ime niht mê gelîch dan alse vil si sich gewerfen mac über alliu gescheffenisse.
Diu sêle ist ein crêatûre, diu alliu genantiu dinc enpfâhen mac, unde ungenaniter dinge mac si niht enpfân, si enwerde dan alrest enpfangen alse tiefe in gote, daz si selbe namelôs werde. Unde daz kan nieman wizzen dâ, weder got sî oder si got begriffen habe. Dionysius sprichet, daz got sich selben in ir begriffen habe unde ziuhet sî in sich alse gar, daz si an ir selber niht mêr enist denne got. Unde der sêle niderste krefte die hânt daz underscheit an den persônen, unde minne einiget die persônen unde niht daz wesen. Zuo disem bekentnisse ist diu sêle geschaffen, daz si mit eime widerguzze gotlîcher êren vliezen solte in des grundelôsen brunnen grunt, dâ si ûz geflozzen ist, unde solde erkennen, daz si von ir selben niht enist.
Now mark. If fire passed away, there would be no light; if earth passed away, there would be no life; if air passed away, there would be no love; if water passed away, there would be no place. Therefore God is neither light nor life nor love nor nature nor spirit nor brightness nor anything that can be put into words. It is God in God and God flowed out from God, and God has himself as God in himself and has himself as God in all his creatures, and has himself especially in a noble soul. The Father is almighty in the soul, the Son all-wise, the Holy Spirit all-loving in the soul, and he loves all creatures with an equal love. But he manifests himself unequally in them, and for this the soul was created: that she should know it as it is, should comprehend it as it is, should concern herself with it, and should sink into the bareness of the bottomless well of divine nature and there become one with God, so that she herself might say that she were God. The soul should be so drawn away from herself that she could form within herself no created or named thing, and should be as bare in herself as God is beyond all names, and should raise herself above herself into her God and should hold herself with her God for her God: for God is neither white nor black nor great nor small; he has neither place nor past nor future time, and the soul is no more like him than insofar as she can cast herself above all createdness.
The soul is a creature that can receive all named things, but unnamed things she cannot receive unless she is first received so deeply into God that she herself becomes nameless. And there no one can know whether she is God or whether she has comprehended God. Dionysius says that God has comprehended himself in her and draws her so completely into himself that in herself she is nothing more than God. And the soul's lowest powers possess distinction with regard to the persons, while love unites the persons and not the being. The soul was created for this knowledge: that with a return-flow of divine honor she should flow into the ground of the bottomless well from which she flowed out, and should recognize that of herself she is nothing.
Daz oberste guot, daz der sêle meiste guot ist, daz ist niht, want Kristus selbe sprach: er enwære von ime selben niht. Daz wârste, daz uns zuo gehœret, daz ist, daz wir bekennen, daz wir von uns selben niht ensîn unde daz wir unser selbes niht ensîn.
Got hât alliu dinc durch sich selben getân unde hât die sêle gemachet ime gelîch, daz si ob allen dingen, under allen dingen, in allen dingen, ûzerhalb allen dingen gesîn mac, unde belîbet doch ungeteilet an ir selben. Doch ist daz edeler, daz si an der wüestenunge klebe, dâ si niht enist unde dâ kein werc ist. Sant Dionysius sprichet: herre, ziuch mich in die wüeste, dâ dû niht gebildet bist, daz ich in dîner wüeste alliu bilde verliere. Daz diu sêle in allen dingen ist, daz ist an irre kleinlicheit, daz si an allen dingen gesîn mac, unde si berüeret sie niht noch enwirt von in berüeret. Swenne si alsus alliu dinc übergangen hât, sô sprichet si: herre, ziuch mich in die gotheit, dâ dû niht enbist, wand allez, daz iht ist, des enhalt ich für got niht. Daz diu sêle ob allen dingen ist, daz ist an ir vrîheit, sô si bekennet, daz sî nieman getwingen mac noch got selbe sî twingen wil. Den vrîen willen gît si gote unde wirfet sich in ir blôzheit unde sprichet: herre, ziuch mich in die vinsternisse dîner gotheit, daz ich in dem vinsternisse allez mîn lieht verliere: wand allez, daz man goffenen mac, daz enhân ich niht für lieht. Daz si ûzerhalb allen dingen ist, daz ist an irn kreften ze verstânde, daz si sich gewîten mac, daz si got begrîfen mac mit allen crêatûren. Si wirt alsô vereinet mit gote, daz si mê got wirt dan si an ir selben sî. Daz hât si von gnâden. Iht von gote daz ist got alzemâle und iht von ime daz hât allez sîn wesen. Dar umbe ist er in der nidersten crêatûren alse volkomen als in der obersten. Ein glîchnisse. Der minste zapfe an dem vazze enthelt allez, daz dar in ist, alse wol als der grœste.
The highest good, which is the soul's greatest good, is nothing, for Christ himself said that he was nothing of himself. The truest thing that belongs to us is that we recognize that of ourselves we are nothing and that we are not our own.
God has done all things through himself and has made the soul like himself, so that she can be above all things, beneath all things, in all things, outside all things, and yet remain undivided in herself. Yet it is nobler that she cleave to the wilderness where she is nothing and where there is no work. Saint Dionysius says: Lord, draw me into the wilderness where you are not formed, so that in your wilderness I may lose all images. That the soul is in all things belongs to her littleness, in that she can be in all things, yet she does not touch them nor is she touched by them. When she has thus passed beyond all things, she says: Lord, draw me into the Godhead, where you are not, for everything that is something I do not hold to be God. That the soul is above all things belongs to her freedom, when she knows that no one can compel her and that God himself does not wish to compel her. She gives her free will to God and casts herself into her bareness and says: Lord, draw me into the darkness of your Godhead, so that in that darkness I may lose all my light; for everything that can be disclosed I do not hold to be light. That she is outside all things is to be understood from her powers, in that she can expand herself so that she can comprehend God with all creatures. Thus she becomes united with God, so that she becomes more God than she is in herself. This she has by grace. Whatever is from God is wholly God, and whatever is from him has all its being. Therefore he is as perfect in the lowest creature as in the highest. A likeness: the smallest tap on a vessel contains everything that is in it just as well as the greatest.
Dar umbe ist sîn begrîfen an sîner veterlîchen kraft. Er begrîfet sich in ime selben in allen crêatûren, unde begrîfet sich in sîn selbes antlitze, dâ er keine crêatûre zuo lâzet noch dâ kein crêatûre zuo komen mac. Unde daz begrîfen hât er bedeket mit eime gedregeten dunsternisse, daz in kein crêatûre begrîfen mac, als er sich selben begrîfet in ime selben. Swaz diu sêle in dem liehte begrîfet, daz verliuret si in dem dunsternisse. Sô krieget si doch nâch dem dunsternisse, wand sî wêger dunket daz dunster dan daz lieht. Aldâ verliuret si sich unde daz lieht in dem dunsternisse.
Nû sprichet diu sêle in der minnen buoche ‘nieman ist mir got und ich bin niemanne sêle, und allez, daz man goffenbâren mac, daz hân ich niht für got. Dar umbe fliuhe ich von gote dur got.’ Sancte Johannes sprichet ‘got ist diu minne.’ Die meistere widersprechent ez: hête er gemeinet die minne, mit der diu sêle got minnet, sô wêre ez niht wâr. Wêre diu minne got, mit der diu sêle minnet, sô engienge si ir niht alse si nû tuot. Mêr: si hât ein nâtûrlîch minne, diu ist ein tugent. Swenne sich der wille ze gote kêret, sô schepfet got eine minne von nihte unde giuzet sî in die tugent, unde diu minne ist ouch nâtûre und ist gnâde. In der gnâde gît sich got in die sêle unde der heilig geist vereinet sich mit der minne unde diu minne, diu der heilgeist ist, diu ist got, unde diu minne, diu dâ gnâde ist, diu ist nâtûre unde vereinet die sêle mit gote, und in der vereinunge wirt diu sêle in got gezogen, daz si dâ got minnet mit sîner minne in gote, und in ir selben kan si ez niht getuon.
Therefore his comprehension is in his fatherly power. He comprehends himself in himself in all creatures, and comprehends himself in his own countenance, where he admits no creature and where no creature can come. And he has covered this comprehension with a dense darkness, which no creature can comprehend as he comprehends himself in himself. Whatever the soul comprehends in the light, she loses in the darkness. Yet she strives after the darkness, because the darkness seems better to her than the light. There she loses herself and the light in the darkness.
Now the soul says in the Book of Love, 'No one is God to me and I am no one's soul, and everything that can be revealed I do not hold to be God. Therefore I flee from God for God's sake.' Saint John says, 'God is love.' The masters contradict this: if he had meant the love with which the soul loves God, it would not be true. If the love with which the soul loves were God, it would not pass from her as it now does. Rather, she has a natural love, which is a virtue. When the will turns toward God, God creates a love from nothing and pours it into the virtue, and the love is also nature and is grace. In grace God gives himself into the soul, and the Holy Spirit unites himself with love, and the love that is the Holy Spirit is God, while the love that is grace is nature and unites the soul with God; and in the union the soul is drawn into God, so that there she loves God with his love in God, and in herself she cannot do it.
Der vater ist ein offenbârunge aller dinge unde der sun ist ein bilde aller dinge und der heilig geist ist ein erfüllunge der ordenunge. Die meister sprechent: berüerunge gotes daz enist got niht: ez sint sîniu werc. Dar umbe ist diu kraft der sêle ê an ir selber dan si berüeret werde, unde daz si berüeret wirt, daz ist ein werc gotes, unde diu sêle ist ein gezouwe des werkes unde daz werc ist ein crêatûre. Diu kraft, diu die sêle vollebringet und sî füeret ûzer ir selber âne ir zuotuon, diu ist got. Ich rüere daz münster, ich füere ez aber niht enwec. Daz wir gote zuo legen materie, forme unde werc, daz tuon wir dur unser grober sinne willen. Die meistere sprechent: ein lieht erliuhtet niht und enhât weder forme noch materie und ist doch crêatûre. Swer got kennen wil als er ist, der muoz blôz sîn von aller kunst. Her ûf sprichet sant Augustînus: herre, ich enweiz, waz ich an dir minne, ez ensî ein lieht. Dâ got zît noch wesen hât, dâ ist er ungenant. Her ûf sprichet sant Paulus ‘vil ist der, die nâch der krônen loufent, aber der ist niht denne einer, dem si wirt.’ Alle krefte der sêle loufent nâch der krônen, aber si wirt dem blôzen wesenne alleine, alse sant Dionysius sprichet: der louf ist niht anders dan ein abekêren von allen geschaffen dingen unde sich vereinen mit dem schepfer. Swenne diu sêle dar zuo kumt, daz si sich vereinet mit dem schepfer, sô verliuret si irn namen, wand got hât sî in sich gezogen, alsô daz si an ir selber niht enist, als diu sunne daz morgenlieht in sich geziuhet, daz ez ze nihte wirt.
Eyâ, wâ ist dan der sêlen wonunge? Si ist ûf den vederen der winde. Die vederen daz sint die krefte gotlîcher nâtûre. Die winde daz ist, daz gotlîcher nâtûre krefte der sêle zuo wêjen. Swenne er die sünden ir under diu ougen sleht, sô versinket si in ime, als der visch in dem mer. Alle crêatûre verlierent irn namen, sô sie in menschlîche nâtûre koment. Her ûf sprichet Kristus ‘sagent daz êwangelium allen crêatûren.’ Dâ meinde er niht danne den menschen.
The Father is a revelation of all things, and the Son is an image of all things, and the Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the order. The masters say: God's touching is not God; these are his works. Therefore the power of the soul exists in herself before she is touched, and that she is touched is a work of God; and the soul is an instrument of the work, and the work is a creature. The power that perfects the soul and leads her out of herself without her own doing is God. I touch the cathedral, but I do not carry it away. That we attribute matter, form, and work to God we do because of our coarse senses. The masters say: a light illuminates nothing and has neither form nor matter, and yet it is a creature. Whoever wishes to know God as he is must be bare of all art. Saint Augustine says: Lord, I do not know what I love in you unless it is a light. Where God has neither time nor being, there he is unnamed. Saint Paul says: 'Many are those who run after the crown, but there is only one to whom it is given.' All the powers of the soul run after the crown, but it is given to bare being alone, as Saint Dionysius says: the course is nothing other than a turning away from all created things and a union with the Creator. When the soul comes to this, that she is united with the Creator, she loses her name, for God has drawn her into himself so that in herself she is nothing, just as the sun draws the dawn into itself so that it becomes nothing.
Ah, where then is the soul's dwelling? It is upon the wings of the winds. The wings are the powers of divine nature. The winds are this: that the powers of divine nature blow toward the soul. When he casts her sins before her eyes, she sinks into him like the fish into the sea. All creatures lose their name when they enter human nature. Christ says concerning this: 'Preach the Gospel to every creature.' By this he meant none other than the human being.
Nû merke, wenne der mensche alle crêatûre sî. Wenne er ir aller kraft an ime hât. Swenne der mensche mit den ûzeren sinnen alliu lîplîchiu dinc bekennet unde scheidet sich dan abe unde belîbet doch dar inne âne berüerunge unde swenne er mit den inwendigen sinnen alliu geistlîchiu dinc bekennet unde scheidet sich dan abe unde belîbet doch dâ inne âne berüerunge: dan alrêst ist der mensche alle crêatûre unt dan alrest ist der mensche ze sîner nâtûre komen und ist bereit in got zuo gânne. Daz wir got niht envinden, daz ist des schult: wir suochen in mit gelîchnisse, der doch niht gelîchnisse hât. Allez, daz diu heilige schrift geleisten mac, daz ist mê sîn ungelîch dan sîn gelîch. Dar ûf sprichet Orienes, daz diu sêle got suochet, daz kunt ir von eime nâhen gemerke. Bekante si sich selben, si bekante ouch iren got. Daz sich diu sêle bildet und iren got bildet, daz kumt ir dâ von, daz si ze vil merket. Versinkende in die gotheit dâ verlierent ir allez gemerke.
Her ûf sprichet Dionysius zuo Timothêô: ‘friunt mîn, Timothêe, wirst dû gewar des geistes der wârheit, sô ganc im niht nâch mit menschlîchen sinnen, wand er ist als geswinde: er kumt riuschende. Man sol got suochen mit frömdikeit, mit vergezzenheit und mit unsinne, wand diu gotheit hât aller dinge kraft an ir und enhât keinen dingen niht gelîch. Dar umbe muoz diu oberste blôze klârheit des einveltigen wesennes alliu dinc ze mâle liuhten. Her ûf sprichet Dionysius: daz sîe schœnheit, daz wol geordent ist mit einer ûfgezogener klârheit. Dar umbe ist diu gotheit ein schœnheit der drier persône.
Now mark when the human being is all creatures: when he has the power of them all in himself. When the human being knows all bodily things with the outer senses and then separates himself from them yet remains within without being touched, and when with the inner senses he knows all spiritual things and then separates himself from them yet remains therein without being touched: only then is the human being all creatures, and only then has the human being come to his nature and is ready to go into God. The reason we do not find God is this: we seek him with likeness, though he has no likeness. Everything that Holy Scripture can accomplish is more unlike him than like him. Origen says concerning this: that the soul seeks God comes to her from a near awareness. If she knew herself, she would also know her God. That the soul forms herself and forms her God comes from her noticing too much. Sinking into the Godhead, all awareness is lost to her.
Dionysius says to Timothy: 'My friend Timothy, if you become aware of the Spirit of truth, do not follow him with human senses, for he is like a rushing wind: he comes rushing. One should seek God with estrangement, with forgetfulness, and with non-sense, for the Godhead has in itself the power of all things and is like none of them. Therefore the highest bare radiance of onefold being must illumine all things at once. Dionysius says concerning this: beauty is that which is well ordered with an uplifted radiance. Therefore the Godhead is a beauty of the three persons.'
Diu sêle sol mit den nidersten kreften gordent sîn under die obersten unde mit den obersten under got: mit den ûzeren sinnen under die inneren sinne, mit den innern under die redelicheit; den gedanc under daz bekentnisse, daz bekentnisse under den willen unde den willen in die einekeit, alsô daz diu sêle alleine sî unde niht anders in sî vlieze dan diu blôze gotheit, diu dâ ûz sich selben geflozzen ist. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius, daz diu sêle ir krefte geworfen habe in ir blôz wesen, alsô daz diu oberste kraft alleine würket. Her ûf sprichet ein meister: swenne diu oberste kraft oberhant nimet an den werken, sô gânt die anderen alle in sî unde verlierent ir werc, unde dâ stât diu sêle in irre rehten ordenunge und in irm blôzen wesenne, und ir blôz wesen ist ir ûf gezogeniu klârheit, diu hât aller dinge kraft in ir. Daz sprichet ein meister: bekante diu sêle sich selben, sô bekante si alliu dinc.
Alsô ist diu gotheit geflozzen in den vater, in den sun und in den heiligen geist und in der êwikeit in sich selben und in der zît in die crêatûren. Si gît einer ieklicher als vil sis enpfâhen mac: dem steine daz wesen, dem boume daz wahsen, dem vogel daz vliegen, dem vihe daz smacken, dem engele daz reden, dem menschen die vrîe nâtûre. Dar umbe wart got mensche, daz er der dinge nâtûre an sich nam von gnâden in der zît, als er sî in ime in der êwikeit hâte von nâtûre. Her ûf sprichet sant Paulus ‘Kristus ist mir alliu dinc.’ Dâ liuhent an einer persône zwô nâtûre. Iegelich liuhtet der anderen alliu dinc. Dâ schînet ein liuhtende und ein widerliuhtende sînes selbes nâtûre. Gotes wesen ist ein êrstez wesen, ein ûzfliezendez wesen, ein veste wesen, ein ursprunclich wesen und ist ein volkomen wesen. Ûzer allem wesenne fliuzet kraft unde werc. Dar ûf sint die drie persône ein ûfenthalt der gotheit unde die drie persône senkent sich in daz wesen der sêle mit gnâden, wand gotes wesen ist ein nâchvolgen den persônen in daz wesen der sêle und ein wesen durchgât daz ander alzemâle. Die obersten krefte der sêle vliezent ûzer dem wesenne der sêle, alse die drie persône vliezent ûzer der gotheit. Unde swenne got sîne gnâde in die sêle giuzet, sô giuzet er sî in daz wesen der sêle, wand in daz wesen der sêle mac kein flecke gevallen, die krefte tuon swaz sie tuon. Die obersten krefte der sêle zückent ire duncnüsse ûzer dem wesenne der gnâden, diu dâ in dem wesenne der sêle ist, unde diu oberste kraft gât ûzer den nidersten in ir wesen.
The soul should be ordered with the lower powers under the higher and with the higher under God: with the outer senses under the inner senses, with the inner under rationality; thought under knowledge, knowledge under will, and will into oneness, so that the soul is alone and nothing flows into her except the bare Godhead, which has flowed out from itself. Saint Dionysius says concerning this that the soul has cast her powers into her bare being, so that the highest power alone works. A master says concerning this: when the highest power takes the upper hand in the works, all the others go into it and lose their work, and there the soul stands in her right order and in her bare being, and her bare being is her uplifted radiance, which has the power of all things in it. A master says: if the soul knew herself, she would know all things.
Thus the Godhead has flowed into the Father, into the Son, and into the Holy Spirit, and in eternity into itself and in time into creatures. It gives to each as much as it can receive: to the stone being, to the tree growth, to the bird flying, to the beast tasting, to the angel speech, to the human being free nature. Therefore God became man, so that he took the nature of things into himself by grace in time, as he had it in himself by nature in eternity. Saint Paul says concerning this: 'Christ is all things to me.' There two natures shine in one person. Each shines all things to the other. There appears an illuminating and a reflecting of its own nature. God's being is a first being, an outflowing being, a firm being, an original being, and is a perfect being. Out of all being flow power and work. Therefore the three persons are a support of the Godhead, and the three persons sink themselves into the being of the soul with grace, for God's being follows the persons into the being of the soul, and one being permeates the other entirely. The highest powers of the soul flow out of the being of the soul, just as the three persons flow out of the Godhead. And when God pours his grace into the soul, he pours it into the being of the soul, for no stain can fall into the being of the soul, whatever the powers may do. The highest powers of the soul draw their notions out of the being of grace, which is in the being of the soul, and the highest power passes beyond the lower ones into her being.
Der wahsende unde der enpfâhende geist gotes nâtûre ist ein nâchvolgen Kristî persône unde menschlîcher nâtûre. Swenne diu sêle in gotlîcher nâtûre gezogen wirt, sô wirt ir abe gezogen allez, daz si ist an gebrestlicheit und an unvollekomenheit, unde si wirt ze gote in gotlîcher nâtûre, alsô daz si ir selber gotlîche nâtûre nimet, reht als der vater in ime tuot. Si nimet ez von ir selbes nâtûre niht: si nimet ez von gotlîcher nâtûre in irre nâtûre. Si nimet vollekomenheit unde vermügentheit. Dar ûf sprichet Paulus ‘ich vermac alliu dinc in deme, der mich sterket.’ Diu wîsheit entspringet in dem verstentnisse, diu ist ein begin in dem verstentnisse unde wirt vollebrâht in der begerunge unde hât weder herze noch gedanc. Dar ûf sprichet sant Dionysius: swenne diu sêle den ûzfluz gewinnet unde begrîfet in der êwikeit und in der zît und in ir selbes verstentnisse, sô sol si sich dâ inne wider kêren in den ûzfluz, als got wider in sich selben fliuzet, und ensol niht verfliezen.
Got fliuzet wider in sich selben, alsô daz er aller crêatûren alse wênic ahtet, als er tet dâ sie niht enwâren. Alsô sol ouch diu sêle tuon. Diu sol mit der menscheit begrîfen die persône des suns unde mit der persône des suns begrîfen den vater unde den heiligen geist in in beiden unde sie beide in dem heiligen geiste unde sol mit der persône des vaters begrîfen daz einvaltige wesen unde sol mit dem wesenne begrîfen daz apgründe unde sol sich verloufen in daz apgründe âne materie unde forme. Materie, forme, verstentnisse unde wesen hât si verlorn in der einekeit, wand si ist ze nihte worden an ir selben: got würket alliu ir werc, er haltet sî in sînem wesenne unde füeret sî in sîner kraft in die blôze gotheit. Dâ fliuzet si mit der gotheit in allez daz, dâ got în fliuzet. Si ist aller dinge stat unde si hât selber keine stat. Diz ist der geist der wîsheit, diu weder herze noch gedanc hât.
The growing and receptive spirit of God's nature is a following of Christ's person and human nature. When the soul is drawn into divine nature, everything that belongs to her as deficiency and imperfection is drawn away from her, and she becomes God in divine nature, so that she takes divine nature to herself, just as the Father does in himself. She does not take it from her own nature: she takes it from divine nature into her nature. She takes perfection and power. Concerning this Paul says, ‘I can do all things in him who strengthens me.’ Wisdom springs forth in understanding; it is a beginning in understanding and is perfected in desire, and has neither heart nor thought. Concerning this Saint Dionysius says: when the soul gains the outflow and comprehends it in eternity and in time and in her own understanding, then within it she should turn back into the outflow, as God flows back into himself, and should not flow away.
God flows back into himself, so that he pays as little heed to all creatures as he did when they did not exist. So too should the soul do. Through humanity she should comprehend the person of the Son, and through the person of the Son comprehend the Father and the Holy Spirit in them both, and both of them in the Holy Spirit; and through the person of the Father she should comprehend the onefold being, and through being comprehend the abyss, and lose herself in the abyss without matter and form. Matter, form, understanding, and being she has lost in oneness, for she has become nothing in herself: God works all her works; he holds her in his being and leads her by his power into the bare Godhead. There she flows with the Godhead into everything into which God flows. She is the place of all things and herself has no place. This is the spirit of wisdom, which has neither heart nor thought.
Diu sêle fliuzet in der gotheit der gotheit alse nâhe, daz si die gotheit enpfât in der kraft des vaters von gnâden, alse der vater von nâtûre. Her ûf sprichet sant Paulus ‘mit eime gebilde sule wir fliezen von einer klârheit in die anderen.’ Daz ist, daz man die gotheit einvelticlîche enpfâhen sol, und allez, daz ûzer ir geflozzen ist, dâ inne sol si die gotheit enpfâhen, als diu gotheit sich selben enpfât. Ir wille unde gotes wille sol ein sîn alsô, wâ sich got hât, daz si dâ sie mit gote. Dar zuo mac nieman komen in disem lîbe, wande sô got die jungeste gâbe gît der sêle, daz ist der aneblic der gotheit, denne wirt diu sêle bestêtiget in der drîvaltikeit und in der nâcheit der gotheit. Âmen.
The soul flows in the Godhead so near to the Godhead that she receives the Godhead in the Father's power by grace, as the Father does by nature. Concerning this Saint Paul says, ‘With one image we shall flow from one radiance into another.’ That is, one should receive the Godhead onefoldly, and in everything that has flowed out from it she should receive the Godhead as the Godhead receives itself. Her will and God's will should be one, so that wherever God has himself, there she may be with God. No one can come to this in this life, for when God gives the soul the final gift, that is the vision of the Godhead, then the soul is established in the Trinity and in the nearness of the Godhead. Amen.