Tractate — Chapter 13
Tractate — Chapter 13Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition
Wie ez umbe den anefluz des vaters sî, daz merkent. Diu gotheit ist beslozzen in dem vater nâtûrelich, dar umbe ist er alvermügende und enpfât niht von ihte, des er selber niht enist an sîner gotlîcher maht, wan erz weselich in ime und an ime selben beslozzen hât. Doch als man sprichet von dem vater, sô sprichet man von der persône des vaters, unde sô man sprichet von der gotheit, sô sprichet man von der nâtûre, daz ist diu einveltige substancie. Wan danne diu nâtûre swebet unde wonet in einer stêten unberüerlichen stilheit und alliu dinc beweget, diu an der êwikeit ûz geflozzen sint in dem worte sîner kraft, dar umbe hât si mit irre vermügentheit êwekliche geflozzen in den vater, in vermügende gemachet einen sun zuo geberende glîch ime selben. Diz mac man hie bî prüeven. Die persône vermügent niht von irre persônlicheit, wand allez, daz sie vermügent, daz vermügent sie von irre nâtûre, diu eigenlîch nâ weslicheit ir wesen ist. Diz ist gesprochen von dem anefluzze des vaters, den er hât von sîner eigenen nâtûre, mit der er alvermügende ist.
Nû merkent. Diu sêle hât zwô krefte enpfangen von nâtûre. Diu eine kraft ist daz verstentnisse. Daz mac begrîfen die drîveltikeit, diu doch unbegrîfenlich ist, mit allen iren werken. Wie aber daz sî, daz daz verstentnisse begrîfen müge die drîveltikeit mit allen irn werken, diu doch unbegrîfenlich ist, daz merkent. Diu sêle ist an irm verstentnisse gelîch dem sune unde der sun ist des vater verstentnisse. Swenne danne diu sêle entplœzet wirt irs verstentnisses unde der sun zemâle ir verstentnisse wirt, sô verstêt si mit dem sune den sun unde den vater und ir beider geist. Alsus begrîfet diu sêle die drîveltikeit mit allen irn werken.
Mark how it is with the inflow of the Father. The Godhead is naturally enclosed in the Father; therefore he is almighty and receives nothing from anything that he himself is not with respect to his divine power, for he has it essentially enclosed in himself and within himself. But when one speaks of the Father, one speaks of the person of the Father; and when one speaks of the Godhead, one speaks of nature, that is, the onefold substance. Since nature hovers and dwells in a constant, untouchable stillness and moves all things that have flowed out from eternity in the Word of its power, therefore by its power it has eternally flowed into the Father and made him powerful to beget a Son equal to himself. This may be discerned from the following. The persons do not have power from their personhood, for whatever they can do, they can do from their nature, which properly, according to essentiality, is their being. This is said of the inflow of the Father, which he has from his own nature, by which he is almighty.
Now mark. The soul has received two powers by nature. The one power is understanding. It can comprehend the Trinity, which is nevertheless incomprehensible, together with all its works. How it can be that understanding may comprehend the Trinity with all its works, though it is incomprehensible, mark this. The soul in her understanding is like the Son, and the Son is the Father's understanding. When therefore the soul is stripped of her understanding and the Son wholly becomes her understanding, she understands with the Son the Son and the Father and the Spirit of them both. Thus the soul comprehends the Trinity with all its works.
Diu ander kraft ist wille. Der hât von nâtûre, daz er sich wirfet in die unwizzenheit, diu got ist. Dar umbe heizet got ein unwizzenheit, wan alle crêatûren mügent sîn niht wizzen alsô, als er sich selben weiz; dâ er ime selben offenbâr ist, dâ ist er unwizzende allen crêatûren. Alsus heizet got ein unwizzenheit. Nû ist diu oberste kraft der sêle alsô verwent, daz si niht belîben mac ûf keinen lîplîchen wizzentlîchen dingen, und alsô übergât der vrîe wille vrîlîche alle wizzentheit unde haftet an dem, daz er niht enweiz. Dâ von sprichet sant Paulus ‘ich enweiz niht, mêr: got weiz allez.’
Kristus sprichet ‘ist, daz ich erhaben würde, sô wil ich alliu dinc an mich ziehen.’ Dâ meinet er: ob er über unser herze unde verstentnisse erhaben werde, sô wil er uns nâch ime ziehen. Nâch disem sint alle crêatûre ein mensche unde der mensche ist got. In Kristô ist gesament allez, daz an im was, in ein einekeit. Die nidersten unde die obersten krefte und al die sinne des ûzern unde des innern menschen, daz stuont allez in einer ganzer geordenter einunge mit der obersten kraft, diu dâ begriffen was mit dem begriffe der gotheit, diu mit ime geeiniget was an einer persône. Seht, alsô geschiht ez umbe den menschen, in dem alle crêatûre endent und an dem gesamnet werdent alliu manicvaltigiu dinc in ein einekeit an Kristô: dâ wirt man ein an gote mit Kristî menscheit. Alsus sint alle crêatûren ein mensche unde der mensche ist got an Kristî persône. Her ûf sprichet ein meister: ‘mit gote ein geist unde mit Kristô ein lîp, daz ist gewâriu einekeit.’
The other power is will. It has by nature that it casts itself into the unknowing that is God. Therefore God is called an unknowing, for no creatures can know him as he knows himself; where he is manifest to himself, there he is unknown to all creatures. Thus God is called an unknowing. Now the highest power of the soul is so disposed that it cannot remain upon any bodily, knowable things, and thus free will freely passes beyond all knowledge and clings to that which it does not know. Saint Paul says concerning this: ‘I know nothing; rather, God knows all things.’
Christ says, ‘If I am lifted up, I will draw all things to myself.’ By this he means: if he is raised above our heart and understanding, he will draw us after him. According to this all creatures are one human being and the human being is God. In Christ everything that was in him is gathered into one unity. The lower and the higher powers and all the senses of the outer and inner human being stood entirely in a complete, ordered union with the highest power, which was comprehended with the comprehension of the Godhead that was united with him in one person. See, so it happens with the human being, in whom all creatures end and in whom all manifold things are gathered into one unity in Christ: there one becomes one in God with Christ's humanity. Thus all creatures are one human being and the human being is God in Christ's person. A master says concerning this: ‘One spirit with God and one body with Christ: that is true unity.’
Die krefte, die diu sêle enpfangen hât von der drîveltikeit, dâ mite bekennet si die ordenunge aller dinge, diu got als edelliche geordent hât. Die aber daz bekentnisse von gote kêrent, die fliezent wider in daz selbe niht, daz sie wâren, ê sie daz bilde der drîveltikeit enpfiengen, unde daz bilde der drîveltikeit tuot sie êwicliche bekennen daz dunsternisse des nihtes, ûf daz sie sich geneiget hânt. In disem dunsternisse samnet sich hellischiu pîne. Daz dunsternisse ergreifet sie alsô, daz sie des gotlîchen angesichtes enberen müezent, unde brinnet sie alsô, daz ir geschaffen iht sie niht getrœsten mac. Diz ist bitter irre samwizzekeit, diu verdamnet sie ze allen zîten. In daz apgründe diss nihtes sinkent sie iemer mê unde künnent doch daz niht niht begrîfen, daz sie wâren, ê sie daz bilde der drîveltikeit enpfiengen.
Eyâ, herzelieben kint, nû bite ich iuch mit vlîze, daz ir merkent dise verborgen rede. Disen êrsten sin sulent ir merken von den verdüemeten. Aber nochdanne lît ein verborgen geistlich sin hie inne, den sulent ir mit vlîze merken. Diz ist gesprochen von den erwelten, die daz bekentnisse von gote kêrent, die fliezent wider in daz selbe niht, wande swenne diu sêle wirt gezogen mit irm verstentnisse über alliu dinc und über die vermügentheit irs eigen verstentnisses, ze verstênde daz oberste guot, sô verstêt si, daz ez unverstentlich ist allen crêatûren. Dâ kêret si her abe mit irm verstentnisse.
By the powers that the soul has received from the Trinity she knows the ordering of all things, which God has ordered so nobly. But those who turn knowledge away from God flow back into the same nothing that they were before they received the image of the Trinity, and the image of the Trinity causes them eternally to know the darkness of the nothing toward which they have inclined themselves. In this darkness hellish pain gathers. The darkness seizes them so that they must be deprived of the divine countenance, and it burns them so that their created something cannot comfort them. This is their bitter conscience, which condemns them at all times. Into the abyss of this nothing they sink ever more deeply and yet cannot comprehend the nothing that they were before they received the image of the Trinity.
Ah, dearly beloved children, I now ask you diligently to mark this hidden discourse. You should understand this first meaning with regard to the damned. Yet there is also a hidden spiritual meaning within it, which you should mark with diligence. This is said of the elect, who turn knowledge away from God and flow back into the same nothing; for when the soul is drawn with her understanding above all things and above the capacity of her own understanding in order to understand the highest good, she understands that it is unintelligible to all creatures. Then she turns away from it with her understanding.
Zwei dinc sint hie ze merkende. Diu verwenete sêle belîbet ûf dekeinen genanten dingen mit irme verstentnisse. Har umbe entflîuzet si allen namen in daz ungenante niht. Si entflîuzet ouch irre eigenheit, dâ ist si lidic alles ir selbes ihtes. Daz niht, in daz si sinket, daz ist ein unbekenntnisse unde daz heizet ein verstentnisse. In dem vinsternisse samnet sich helleschiu pîne, dâ diu sêle wirt geslagen in daz blôze niht. Daz mac anders niht geschehen, si enwerde dan ê entplœzet alles bekenntnisses. Blîbe ir dâ kein bekennen oder verstên des nihtes, in daz si geslagen ist, daz wêr ir hellischiu pîne. Her umbe endet sich allez bekennen unde vernemen des nihtes in disem vinsternisse. Diz vinsternisse brennet sî, daz si ir geselleschaft niht getrœsten mac. Daz ist bitter irre samwizzekeit, diu verdüemet sî ze allen zîten. In daz apgründe diss nihtes sinkent sie iemer mê unde künnent doch daz niht niht begrîfen, daz sie wâren, ê sie daz bilde der drîveltikeit enpfiengen. Sie behaltent mit sîner kraft ir wesen. Alse wênic mügent sie daz niht begrîfen ze grunde, in daz sie sinkent, als dâ sie niht enwâren. Unde dar umbe endet sich allez bekennen und vernemen in dem dunsternisse des nihtes. Daz dunsternisse ist diu unbegrîfenlicheit gotes. In den grunt diss nihtes sinket si iemer mê. Si sinket und entsinket; si entsinket ir selbes ihtes. Dâ bestêt ir iht unde sinket niht ze nihte. Doch enkan daz iht, daz dâ sinket, daz niht, in daz ez sinket, niemer begrîfen. Swenne diu sêle durchgangen und übergangen hât alle tugende, sô sprichet si: nû enkan ich got ze volle niht geloben noch geminnen; dar umbe muoz ich den tugenden sterben unde mich werfen in daz niht der gotheit, daz ich êwicliche versinke von nihte zuo ihte. Swenne diu sêle ûf daz hœheste loben unde minnen wil daz hœheste guot, daz enkan si mit nihte getuon dan dâ mite, daz si bekennet, daz allez ir loben unde minnen an got niht erlanget. Unde dâ von kêret si har abe dur ir kleinheit, die si an ir selben bekennet, unde stirbet alsô den tugenden unde wirfet sich in daz niht ir selbes.
Zwei dinc sulent ir hie merken. Si wirfet sich in daz niht ir selbes, sô si sich selben gar beroubet der hôhen vermügentheit, wan si alle zît siht an die kleinheit irs wesens.
Two things are to be marked here. The disposed soul remains with her understanding upon no named thing. Therefore she flows away from every name into the unnamed nothing. She also flows out of her ownness; there she is free of all her own something. The nothing into which she sinks is an unknowing, and this is called an understanding. In the darkness hellish pain gathers, where the soul is cast into the bare nothing. This cannot happen otherwise unless she is first stripped of all knowledge. If any knowing or understanding of the nothing into which she has been cast remained to her there, that would be her hellish pain. Therefore all knowing and perceiving of the nothing ends in this darkness. This darkness burns her so that her fellowship cannot comfort her. This is her bitter conscience, which condemns her at all times. Into the abyss of this nothing they sink ever more deeply and yet cannot comprehend the nothing that they were before they received the image of the Trinity. By its power they retain their being. They can no more fathom the nothing into which they sink than when they did not exist. Therefore all knowing and perceiving ends in the darkness of the nothing. The darkness is the incomprehensibility of God. Into the ground of this nothing she sinks ever more deeply. She sinks and sinks away; she sinks away from her own something. There her something subsists and does not sink into nothing. Yet the something that sinks there can never comprehend the nothing into which it sinks. When the soul has passed through and beyond all virtues, she says: now I cannot fully praise or love God; therefore I must die to the virtues and cast myself into the nothing of the Godhead, so that I may eternally sink from nothing into something. When the soul wishes in the highest way to praise and love the highest good, she can do this with nothing except by recognizing that all her praise and love do not attain God. Therefore she turns away on account of her littleness, which she knows in herself, and thus dies to the virtues and casts herself into the nothing of herself.
Two things you should mark here. She casts herself into the nothing of herself when she wholly deprives herself of high power, for at all times she beholds the littleness of her being.
Daz ander niht, in daz si sich wirfet, daz ist daz niht der gotheit. Swenne diu sêle sich an ir selben für niht erkennet, sô enwil si niht belîben ûf ihte unde wirfet sich alsô in daz niht der gotheit, daz si mit nihte ze nihte werde. Hie meinet si, daz ir iht, daz si bekennet an ir selben, ze nihte werde an dem nihte, daz sîn selbes iht ist, unde dâ alsô bestande in einekeite. Dâ verstêt diu sêle, daz man got mit nihte mê geloben noch geminnen mac dan dâ mite, daz man bekenne, daz allez loben und minnen dâ gebristet. Unde dâ von swîget si. Dô sant Dionysius Mârîen loben wolte an ir tugenden, dô wâren sie sô unbegrîfenlich, daz er von ir swîgen muoste. Mit disem swîgen hât der werde Dionysius Mârîen aller hœhest gelobet. Diz geschiht der sêle, swenne si geruket in die unbegrîfenlicheit gotes. Dâ verstummet allez lob an ir unde sprichet: ô dû ungruntlîche wârheit, daz man dich geloben mac, daz ist alze kleine! Sô mac si komen ûf sô grôze einunge, daz sich got alzemâle in sî giuzet unde zucket sî als genzlîche in sich, daz enkein schîn der tugende noch der untugende dâ belîbet noch diu sêle kein underscheit erkennet.
Diz suln wir alsô verstân. Daz rehte volmahte wesen der sêlen wære alsô, daz allez guot in ir alse nâtûrlich wære, niht alleine daz si tugende üebete, mêr: daz alle tugende ir wesen wêren, alsô daz sie alle ûz ir liuhten ungeüebet mit vürsihtikeit. Daz man an uns findet schîn der tugende unde der untugende, daz ist des schult, wan wir üeben einez ze einer zît unde daz ander zuo der andern zît. Seht, alsô solte ez niht sîn: wir solten hân eine stête wonunge in einem wesenne der volmehtikeit. Daz ist daz eine, daz ir merken sulent.
The other nothing into which she casts herself is the nothing of the Godhead. When the soul knows herself in herself as nothing, she does not wish to remain upon anything, and thus casts herself into the nothing of the Godhead, so that with nothing she may become nothing. By this she means that her something, which she knows in herself, should become nothing in the nothing that is its own something, and should thus subsist there in unity. There the soul understands that one can praise or love God with nothing more than by recognizing that all praise and love fail there. Therefore she is silent. When Saint Dionysius wished to praise Mary in her virtues, they were so incomprehensible that he had to remain silent about her. With this silence the worthy Dionysius praised Mary most highly of all. This happens to the soul when she is drawn into the incomprehensibility of God. There all praise falls silent in her, and she says: O unfathomable truth, that one can praise you at all is far too little! Thus she can come into so great a union that God pours himself wholly into her and draws her so completely into himself that no appearance of virtue or vice remains there, nor does the soul know any distinction.
This we should understand as follows. The true perfect being of the soul would be such that all good were as natural in her—not merely that she practised virtues, but rather that all virtues were her being, so that they all shone out from her without practice and with discretion. That an appearance of virtue and vice is found in us is because we practise one thing at one time and another at another time. See, it should not be so: we should have a constant dwelling in a being of full power. This is the one thing that you should mark.
Daz ander: daz got die sêle in sich gezogen hât, alsô daz kein schîn dâ belîbet, daz ist alsô. Diu sêle wirt gerucket von gote in die tougene stilheit der verborgenheit sîns wesens, alsô daz si wênic iemanne liuhtet danne irn glîchen. Dâ bekennet diu sêle kein underscheit, wand der sî in sich gezogen hât, der hât sî in sich geneiget. Si weiz wol, daz si ist: si enweiz aber niht, waz si ist. In etlîchen landen ist diu sunne alsô heiz, daz dâ kein fruht gewahsen mac ûf der erden, unde wirket doch diu sunne vil goldes in der erden. Alsô geschiht dem menschen, in dem diu klâre sunne götlîcher nâtûre wirket: dâ würket si ir gelîch unde dâ verwirket si alle dunkelheit unde würket blôze einekeit. Eyâ, über dise liute solte man sich sêre erbarmen, wan sie sint ungeminnet von der gemeinde, wan sie in verborgenlîche entnomen sint. Hie von sprichet sant Johannes Chrysostomus: ez ist noch niht offenbâr, waz wir sîn, mêr: sô wir in in gewandelt werden, danne sulen wir erschînen, waz wir sîn. Für waz si sich habe, got hât sî für eine crêatûre.
Diu gotheit ist ein geistlich substancie, diu ungruntlich ist, alsô daz nieman dâ von gesprechen kan, wie daz sî. Daz sprichet: got ist in der drîveltikeit ein lebende lieht in eime klâren schîne. Daz ist alsô gesprochen, daz die drie persône in der nâtûre niht sint dan einz unde sint an den persônen underscheiden alsô: swaz daz leben ist, daz enist daz lieht niht, daz der schîn ist, daz enist daz leben niht. Diz sol man alsô verstân von den drien persônen. Daz leben nemen wir bî dem vater, den sun bî dem liehte, den heiligen geist bî dem schîne. Bî dem leben nemen wir den vater, in dem alliu dinc gelebet hânt âne sich selben êwicliche als in irm ursprunge. Bî dem sune neme wir daz lieht, in dem alliu dinc êwicliche geliuhtet hânt als in irm bilde. Bî dem schîne neme wir den heiligen geist, in dem alliu dinc êwicliche ein sint âne sich selben als in irm nihte. Niht alsô, daz ein persône daz leben sî unde diu ander daz lieht, mêr: die drie persônen sint ein leben, ein lieht.
The other is this: that God has drawn the soul into himself so that no appearance remains there. The soul is drawn by God into the secret stillness of the hiddenness of his being, so that she shines to few except those like her. There the soul knows no distinction, for the one who has drawn her into himself has inclined her into himself. She knows well that she is, but she does not know what she is. In some lands the sun is so hot that no fruit can grow upon the earth, and yet the sun produces much gold in the earth. So it happens to the human being in whom the clear sun of divine nature works: there it works its likeness and there it abolishes all darkness and works bare unity. Ah, one should have great compassion for these people, for they are unloved by the community because they have been secretly withdrawn from it. Saint John Chrysostom says concerning this: it is not yet manifest what we are; rather, when we are transformed into him, then it shall appear what we are. Whatever she may take herself to be, God regards her as a creature.
The Godhead is a spiritual substance that is groundless, so that no one can speak of what it is. This means: God is in the Trinity a living light in a clear brightness. This is said in such a way that the three persons in nature are nothing but one, and are distinguished in the persons as follows: whatever life is, light is not; whatever brightness is, life is not. This is how one should understand the three persons. By life we mean the Father, by light the Son, by brightness the Holy Spirit. By life we mean the Father, in whom all things have eternally lived apart from themselves, as in their origin. By the Son we mean the light, in which all things have eternally shone, as in their image. By brightness we mean the Holy Spirit, in whom all things are eternally one apart from themselves, as in their nothing. Not that one person is life and the other light; rather, the three persons are one life, one light.
Diu drîveltikeit ist ein herze gotlîcher nâtûre. Diz sol man alsô verstân. Daz herze wirket in dem menschen leben in alliu gelide unde gît werc in allen und ziuhet sie zuo ime. Wan alliu gelide nement von ime, dâ von heizet ez daz herze. Seht, alsô ist ez umbe die gotheit: diu wirket niht in irre nâtûre, mêr: allez, daz si wirket, daz wirket si mit den persônen, unde dâ von heizet diu drîveltikeit ein herze gotlîcher nâtûre, wan si alliu ir werc mit ir wirket, unde want si ursprunc ist aller dinge und ouch alliu dinc wider in si vliezent und endent. Aber disses herzen herze ist diu hôhe vermügentheit der einekeit, an der unde mit der sie alliu dinc vermügent. Menschlîch nâtûre fliuzet mit irre minne in die drîveltikeit als in irn ursprunc, der alliu dinc enthaltet. Diu einekeit der drîveltikeit ist grundelôs, dâ wirt niht enthalten. Begrîfet diu einekeit die blôzheit der sêle, sô sinket si iemer mê und envindet doch niemer grunt. Diu zîtlîchen dinc (daz ist ir geschaffenheit an den kreften) diu blîbent ûf den persônen unde daz blôze wesen wirt enpfangen von der blôzen einekeit gotes âne widerfliezen.
Eyâ diz solte die sêle scheiden von allem dem, daz iht ist. Wan swer sich ûf ihte neiget, daz got niht enist, der mac in die einikeit gotes niht enpfangen werden. Disiu einekeit ist âne grunt, mêr: si gründet sich selben. Si ist der grundelôsen tiefe ein ursprunc, der endelôsen hœhe ein lach unde der unbegriffener wîle ein umberinc. Hie meine ich die drîveltikeit der persônen: die undergât diu einekeit mit dem, daz si sie haltet in ein; si übergât sie mit dem, daz si sie mügende machet; si umbegât sie mit dem, daz si sie in ir besliuzet mit underscheide. Alsus ist beslozzen diu drîveltikeit in der einikeit unde diu einikeit in der drîveltikeit. Diz seit uns der salme Quicumque vult.
The Trinity is a heart of divine nature. This is to be understood thus. The heart works life in the human being into all the members and gives activity in them all and draws them to itself. Since all the members receive from it, it is therefore called the heart. See, so it is with the Godhead: it does not work in its nature; rather, everything it works, it works with the persons, and therefore the Trinity is called a heart of divine nature, because it works all its works with it, and because it is the origin of all things and all things flow back into it and end there. But the heart of this heart is the high power of unity, by and with which they can do all things. Human nature flows with its love into the Trinity as into its origin, which contains all things. The unity of the Trinity is groundless; nothing is contained there. If unity comprehends the bareness of the soul, she sinks ever more deeply and yet never finds a ground. Temporal things (that is, her createdness in the powers) remain upon the persons, while bare being is received from the bare unity of God without flowing back.
Ah, this should separate the soul from everything that is something. For whoever inclines himself toward anything that God is not cannot be received into God's unity. This unity is without ground; rather, it grounds itself. It is an origin of the groundless depth, a boundary-mark of endless height, and an encircling ring of incomprehensible expanse. Here I mean the Trinity of the persons: unity goes beneath it by holding it in one; it goes above it by making it powerful; it surrounds it by enclosing it within itself with distinction. Thus the Trinity is enclosed in unity and unity in the Trinity. This the psalm Quicumque vult tells us.
Daz wir got bekennen alse verre wir mügen und daz wir uns selben bekennen, daz ist gotes aller liebster wille. Swenne wir uns selben bekennen wellen, sô sulen wir bekennen, daz wir niht sîn dan ein gezouwe gotes, dâ diu heilige drîveltikeit ir werc an wirket. Dar umbe sülen wir mit flîze uns dâ vor hüeten, daz wir niemer gehinderen deheines der werke, diu der hôhe wercmeister an uns wirken welle ze sînen êren, unde sülen uns alsô halten, daz daz gezouwe âne underlâz bereit sî dem wercmeister, sîn werc an uns ze würkenne. Unde dâ von sprichet sant Paulus ‘der geist des herren kumt verborgenlîche von oben har nider unde würket, in den er wil, swie er wil, swanne er wil und als er wil, in den er kein hindernisse vindet.’ Daz sint gotes kint. Dar umbe werdent sie gezogen von gotes geiste. Alsô sülent ir iuch erkennen. Daz ander ist, daz wir got erkennen. Har zuo manete sant Dionysius einen sîner jungern unde sprach: eyâ, herzefriunt, müezige dich von allen dingen und entplœze dich dîn selbes, daz dû daz oberste guot verstân mügest.
Driu dinc sint hie abe ze sprechen. Daz êrste ist ein einegiu kraft in allen dingen ungeleilt und ein einig guot, daz alliu dinc enthaltet. Swenne ir wêrliche wellent got erkennen, sô sülent ir erkennen, daz er ist ein unbekantheit. Diz sprichet Dionysius: gotes wille ist unser heilikeit und unser heilikeit ist, daz wir got bekennen und unserme bekenntnisse volgen. Nû sprichet ein ungetürstekeit in der sêle, beide, si wil und enwil. Der nêhste zorn der sêle ist der. Swenne si vernimet, daz si noch iht geleisten mac, ze sînde daz, daz er niht enist, sô entsinket si von zorne ir selben. Si wolte ê ze nihte werden, ê danne si iht hête oder begrîfen möhte iht des sînen, unde sprichet: herre, mîn heil stât dar an, daz dû mîn niemer gedenkest, unde solt verbieten allen crêatûren, daz sie mich niemer getrœsten, und ich fröuwe mich des, daz mîne krefte niemer für dîn antlitze koment.
That we know God as far as we can and that we know ourselves is God's dearest will. When we wish to know ourselves, we should know that we are nothing but an instrument of God upon which the Holy Trinity works its work. Therefore we should diligently guard ourselves lest we ever hinder any of the works that the high master-workman wishes to work in us for his honor, and we should keep ourselves so that the instrument is ceaselessly ready for the master-workman to work his work in us. Therefore Saint Paul says: ‘The Spirit of the Lord comes secretly down from above and works in whom he wills, however he wills, whenever he wills and as he wills, in whom he finds no hindrance.’ These are God's children. Therefore they are drawn by God's Spirit. Thus you should know yourselves. The other is that we know God. Saint Dionysius admonished one of his disciples to this and said: Ah, friend of my heart, empty yourself of all things and strip yourself of yourself, so that you may understand the highest good.
Three things are to be said concerning this. The first is one single power undivided in all things and one single good that contains all things. If you truly wish to know God, you should know that he is an unknownness. Dionysius says this: God's will is our holiness, and our holiness is that we know God and follow our knowledge. Now a boldness speaks in the soul: both she wills and she does not will. The soul's nearest anger is this. When she perceives that she can still accomplish something, to be that which he is not, she sinks away from herself in anger. She would rather become nothing before she had anything or could comprehend anything of his, and says: Lord, my salvation consists in this, that you never think of me, and you should forbid all creatures ever to comfort me, and I rejoice that my powers never come before your countenance.
Nû merke, waz diu sêle meine mit iren wunderlîchen worten, daz si sprichet: mîn heil stât dar an, daz dû mîn niemer gedenkest. Dâ weiz si wol, daz si nie ûzer sîner gewizzede enkom, unde daz ist ir sêlikeit. Unde dâ si bitet belîben ungetrœstet von allen crêatûren, dâ meinet si ze sînde in eim ellende âne trôst, alsô daz untrôst ir alleine sî ein trôst. Unde dâ si sprichet, daz ir krefte für sîn antlitze niht enkomen? Nû merket, waz daz antlitze gotes sî. Dâ der mensche im selben aller offenbârest an ist, daz heizet sîn antlitze. Alsô ist ez, dâ got im selben offenbâr an ist in der tougenen stilheit sîns eigenen wesens. Diu offenbârunge heizet daz antlitze der gotheit. Daz bekennet diu sêle wol, daz si mit irn kreften niht gelangen mac in die blôze stilheit, dâ er im selben offenbâr ist. Dar umbe begert si, daz ir krefte für sîn antlitze niemer komen, daz diu offenbârunge ist sîns selbes. Seht, dâ bestênt die krefte an dem widerslage der drîer einekeit unde daz blôze wesen des geistes wirt blôz în geliuhtet in die blôzen offenbârekeit von der stilheit ir selbes kraft. Dâ von sprichet ein meister: dâ daz entplœzete unde diu blôzheit ein sint, dâ endent alle krefte des geistes. Daz ist gemeinet, daz diu blôzheit des geistes wesen in der blôzheit der einekeit boben allen kreften ist. Her ûf sprichet sant Paulus ‘der an gote haftet, der wirt ein geist mit gote.’ Âmen.
Now mark what the soul means by her wondrous words when she says: my salvation consists in this, that you never think of me. There she knows well that she can never escape his knowledge, and that is her blessedness. And when she asks to remain unconsoled by all creatures, she means to be in an exile without consolation, so that lack of consolation alone is a consolation to her. And when she says that her powers never come before his countenance? Now mark what God's countenance is. Where the human being is most manifest to himself, that is called his countenance. So it is where God is manifest to himself in the secret stillness of his own being. This manifestation is called the countenance of the Godhead. The soul knows well that with her powers she cannot reach the bare stillness in which he is manifest to himself. Therefore she desires that her powers never come before his countenance, which is the manifestation of himself. See, there the powers come to rest at the reflection of the threefold unity, and the bare being of the spirit is illumined bare into the bare manifestation from the stillness of its own power. A master says: where the stripped and bareness are one, there all the powers of the spirit end. This means that the bareness of the spirit's being in the bareness of unity is above all powers. Saint Paul says concerning this: ‘He who clings to God becomes one spirit with God.’ Amen.