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Tractate — Chapter 14

Tractate — Chapter 14Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation

Sant Johannes sprichet ‘ich sach daz wort in gote.’ Got daz ist ein lûter wesen, ein lûter verstentnisse unde verstêt sich selbe in im selben. Nû meinet sant Johannes, daz der sun ist in dem vater in der nâtûre. ‘Ich sach daz wort bî gote.’ Dâ meinet er, daz verstentnisse, daz êwiclich in got vlôz, daz vlôz ûz got in ein underscheit der persône, daz ist der sun. ‘Ich sach daz wort vor gote.’ Daz ist, daz der sun êwiclich geborn wirt von dem vater unt daz er ist ein bilde des vater. In dem worte ist niht denne daz wort, daz ist, daz alle crêatûre in dem worte êwicliche ûz gevlozzen sint. ‘Ich sach daz wort under gote.’ Daz ist, daz der sun mensche worden ist, wan got sprach ‘ich hân iuch gewunnen in dem widerscheine mîns vinsternisses.’ Gotes vinsternüsse daz ist sîn nâtûre, die nieman bekennen mac. Guote liute bekennent ir niht, noch dehein crêatûre mac ir niht bekennen; dar umbe ist ez ein vinsternüsse. Dô got vlôz in sîn selbes vinsternüsse, dô was der sun sîn underscheit. Der vater vlôz persônlich in dem vinsternisse sîner nâtûre, alsô verre als er gebar. Der vater gebar sînen sun unde gab im sîne nâtûre, sîner persône gab er im niht: sîne nâtûre gît er wol enwec, sîne persône mac er nieman geben durch des willen, wan ir daz ungeborne wesen nâch volget. Der vater sprach sich und alle crêatûre in sîme sune; der vater sprach sich selben allen crêatûren in sîme sune. Dâ der vater wider kêret in sich selben, dâ sprichet er sich selben in ime selben; dâ vliuzet er wider in sich selben mit allen crêatûren. Her ûf sprichet Dionysius: got ist ûz geflozzen in sich selben, daz ist, daz verborgen nâtûre im genüeget, diu allen crêatûren verborgen ist. Diu sêle enkan im niht gevoigen in sîne nâtûre, ern habe sî denne genzlîche in sich gezogen, daz si in ime vervinstert sî alles geschafens liehtes. Der crêatûre vinsternüsse ist, daz sie unbegrîfenlich sint in ir einveltigen nâtûre und ouch in dem nihte, dâ sie abe geschaffen sint. Des sol si in dem ungeschaffenen liehte bekennen die ungeschaffenheit. In sîne ungeschaffenheit vliuzet si in dem widerscheine sîner vinsternisse.

Eyâ, guot, redet der vater unde der sun unde der heilig geist mit einer rede in der gotheit, oder hât ieglicher eine sunder rede? In der gotheit ist niht denne ein rede; dâ mite redet der vater in der gotheit in daz ungeborne wesen und in daz geborne wesen unde der vater vliuzet in sînen sun mit allem dem, daz er ist, unde der sun redet mit der selben rede. Der vater unde der sun vliezent in den heiligen geist unde der heilig geist redet mit der selben rede. Sie redent in dem wesenne mit einer einvaltigen rede und ir ieglicher redet in sîner persône mit einer rede unde sie redent in ir selbes nâtûre daz diu wârheit ist unde die persône enpfâhent daz wesen weselich als ez ist. Doch enpfâhet diu ein persône von der andern. Sie neigent sich wider in daz wesen mit lobe unde redent lop in daz wesen unde daz ungeborne wesen redet mit sîner ungebornen rede in die persône unde redet der persône lop, daz die persône daz wesen alsô genzlîche enpfâhent, daz diu ein ez der andern für baz gît. Daz ungeborne wesen genüeget ime selben âne geburt und âne werc. In den persônen ist geburt unde werc. Die persône redent, daz sie die wârheit sîn unt daz alle crêatûre der wârheit niht enhaben. Als diu sêle in dise götlîche rede kumt, sô redet si die selben wârheit unde diu gotheit ist einer ieglicher crêatûre als si ir selber ist. Daz kumet von irre einvaltikeit, unde diu crêatûre stêt dâ inne ûf swie si wil. Dar umbe sint die bœsen bœse unde die guoten guot, unde die persône haltent die gerehtikeit in der gotheit. Dar umbe gebent sie den bœsen daz ir unde den guoten daz ir.

Saint John says, ‘I saw the Word in God.’ God is a pure being, a pure understanding, and understands himself in himself. Saint John means that the Son is in the Father in nature. ‘I saw the Word by God.’ By this he means that the understanding which eternally flowed in God flowed out from God into a distinction of person: that is the Son. ‘I saw the Word before God.’ That is, the Son is eternally born from the Father and is an image of the Father. In the Word there is nothing but the Word; that is, all creatures have eternally flowed out in the Word. ‘I saw the Word under God.’ That is, the Son became man, for God said: ‘I have won you in the reflection of my darkness.’ God's darkness is his nature, which no one can know. Good people do not know it, nor can any creature know it; therefore it is a darkness. When God flowed into his own darkness, the Son was his distinction. The Father flowed personally in the darkness of his nature insofar as he begot. The Father begot his Son and gave him his nature; he did not give him his person. He can indeed give away his nature, but he can give his person to no one, because the unbegotten being follows upon it. The Father spoke himself and all creatures in his Son; the Father spoke himself to all creatures in his Son. When the Father turns back into himself, there he speaks himself within himself; there he flows back into himself with all creatures. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: God has flowed out into himself; that is, the hidden nature suffices him, which is hidden from all creatures. The soul cannot follow him into his nature unless he has drawn her wholly into himself, so that in him all created light is darkened for her. The darkness of creatures is that they are incomprehensible in their onefold nature and also in the nothing from which they were created. Therefore in the uncreated light she should know uncreatedness. Into his uncreatedness she flows in the reflection of his darkness.

Ah, then: do the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit speak with one speech in the Godhead, or does each have a separate speech? In the Godhead there is nothing but one speech; with it the Father speaks in the Godhead into the unbegotten being and into the begotten being, and the Father flows into his Son with all that he is, and the Son speaks with the same speech. The Father and the Son flow into the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit speaks with the same speech. In being they speak with one onefold speech, and each speaks in his person with one speech; and in their own nature they speak that which is truth, and the persons receive being essentially as it is. Yet one person receives from the other. They incline themselves back into being with praise and speak praise into being, and the unbegotten being speaks with its unbegotten speech into the persons and speaks praise of the persons, because the persons receive being so completely that one gives it onward to the other. The unbegotten being is sufficient unto itself without birth and without work. In the persons there are birth and work. The persons speak that they are the truth and that all creatures do not possess the truth. When the soul comes into this divine speech, she speaks the same truth, and the Godhead is as present to each creature as it is to itself. This comes from its onefoldness, and the creature stands therein according as it wills. Therefore the evil are evil and the good are good, and the persons uphold righteousness in the Godhead. Therefore they give the evil what belongs to them and the good what belongs to them.

Sant Dionysius sprichet: got ist diu êrste sache unde got hât elliu dinc durch sich selben getân und er ist ein sache aller dinge und er würket elliu sîniu werc nâch dem gelîchnisse der êrsten sache. Der vater unde der sun sachent nâch der êrsten sache, unde der sun spilt in dem vater mit allen dingen, wan er ûz im vlôz. Der sun spilt vor dem vater mit allen dingen, der sun spilt under dem vater mit allen dingen. Der vater gebar sînen sun mit der gotheit unde mit allen dingen. Der vater gebar sînen sun in der gotheit mit allen dingen. Der vater gebar sînen sun in die gotheit mit allen dingen. Diu gotheit ist daz underscheit der persônen und ein volheit der persônen. Diu gotheit englît sich keinen dingen. Swenne diu sêle zuo disem bekentnisse kumt, sô siht si got an unt denne siht si wider in sich selben unde siht, daz diu gotheit in allen dingen ist. Sô nimet si in ir ein gelîchnisse des schepfers, daz si schepfet allez daz si wil, unde kan im doch kein wesen geben: si gît im forme unde si ist selbe sîn materie, unt des belîbent in ir diu êwigen werc; diu sint in der êwigen geburt. Diu zîtlîchen werc sint in der zît, wan got gît sînen werken wesen, forme unde materie von nihte: des vermac diu sêle niht, wan got bringet sîniu werc in ein einekeit an Kristô unde diu ordenunge sol niht abe gên, sunder si sol gezogen werden in die klârheit der einekeit. Doch gêt diu sêle über ordenunge in die blôzen gotheit; dâ wirt si gesehen unde man siht got in der sêle als got. Dâ hât diu sêle in ir got alse got unde dâ nimet si in ir ein gelîchnis des schepfers.

Nû merkent underscheit der werke gotes unde der crêatûren. Got hât alliu dinc durch sich selben getân, wan er ist ein sache aller dinge und er würket elliu sîniu werc nâch dem gelîchnisse der êrsten sache und alle crêatûren würkent nâ dem gelîchnisse der êrsten sache. Daz ist ir minne, die sie ze gote hânt. Got hât elliu dinc von nihte gemachet und hât die gotheit dar în gevelzet, daz diu dinc der gotheit alse vol sint. Enwêren sie der gotheit niht vol, sô würden sie ze nihte. Diu drîvaltikeit würket elliu werc in allen dingen unde diu crêatûre würket ûf der kraft der drîvaltikeit unde diu crêatûre würket alse crêatûre unde got würket alse got unde der mensche verderbet diu werc alse verre als sîn meinunge bœse ist. Als der mensche würket sîniu werc, sô ist er mit dem lîbe unde mit der sêle vereinet, wan der lîp mac niht würken âne die sêle. Als diu sêle mit gote vereinet ist, sô würket si götlîch werc, wan got mac niht gewürken âne diu sêle unde diu sêle mac niht gewürken âne got. Danne ist got der sêle leben, als diu sêle des lîbes, unde diu gotheit ist der drîer persône sêle in deme, daz si sie einet, und in deme, daz si êwicliche in in gewonet hât. Und nâch deme, daz diu gotheit in allen dingen ist, sô ist si aller sêlen sêle. Diu gotheit ist der crêatûre sêle, niht alsô, alse si der drîvaltikeit sêle ist, doch ist si aller sêlen sêle. Got würket ein werc mit der sêle; in dem werke wirt diu sêle über sich selben erhaben. Daz werc ist crêatûre und ist gnâde unde ziuhet die sêle in got. Ez ist edeler denne diu sêle in dem, daz ez die sêle in got ziuhet; aber diu sêle ist edeler in dem, daz si enpfâhen mac. Unde diu crêatûre enhât weder materie noch forme noch kein wesen an ir selben unde ziuhet doch die sêle ûz ir nâtûrlichem wesenne in ein übernâtûrlich wesen.

Saint Dionysius says: God is the first cause, and God has done all things through himself, and he is a cause of all things, and he works all his works according to the likeness of the first cause. The Father and the Son exercise causation according to the first cause, and the Son plays in the Father with all things, for he flowed out from him. The Son plays before the Father with all things; the Son plays under the Father with all things. The Father begot his Son with the Godhead and with all things. The Father begot his Son in the Godhead with all things. The Father begot his Son into the Godhead with all things. The Godhead is the distinction of the persons and a fullness of the persons. The Godhead is like no thing. When the soul comes to this knowledge, she looks upon God and then looks back into herself and sees that the Godhead is in all things. Then she takes into herself a likeness of the Creator, in that she creates whatever she wills, and yet can give it no being: she gives it form and she herself is its matter; and therefore the eternal works remain in her, which are in the eternal birth. Temporal works are in time, for God gives his works being, form, and matter from nothing; the soul cannot do this, for God brings his works into a unity in Christ, and the order is not to pass away but is to be drawn into the radiance of unity. Yet the soul passes beyond order into the bare Godhead; there she is seen, and God is seen in the soul as God. There the soul has God in herself as God, and there she takes into herself a likeness of the Creator.

Now mark the distinction between the works of God and those of creatures. God has done all things through himself, for he is a cause of all things and works all his works according to the likeness of the first cause, and all creatures work according to the likeness of the first cause. This is their love which they have toward God. God has made all things from nothing and has embedded the Godhead within them so that things are full of the Godhead. If they were not full of the Godhead, they would become nothing. The Trinity works all works in all things, and the creature works upon the power of the Trinity; the creature works as creature and God works as God, and the human being corrupts the works insofar as his intention is evil. When the human being performs his works, he is united with body and soul, for the body cannot work without the soul. When the soul is united with God, she works divine works, for God cannot work without the soul and the soul cannot work without God. Then God is the life of the soul as the soul is the life of the body, and the Godhead is the soul of the three persons insofar as it unites them and insofar as it has eternally dwelt in them. And insofar as the Godhead is in all things, it is the soul of all souls. The Godhead is the soul of the creature, not in the same way as it is the soul of the Trinity, yet it is the soul of all souls. God works a work with the soul; in that work the soul is raised above herself. The work is a creature and is grace and draws the soul into God. It is nobler than the soul insofar as it draws the soul into God; but the soul is nobler insofar as she can receive it. And the creature has neither matter nor form nor any being in itself, and yet draws the soul out of her natural being into a supernatural being.

Die got êwicliche erwelt hât, den gît er sînen geist, als er ist, âne mitel; den mügent sie niht verliesen. Die crêatûre, die got noch machen möhte, ob er wolte, die bekante er êwiclich crêatûre, wan sie sint crêatûre in gote und an in selben sint sie niht und daz sint ungeschaffen crêatûre. Alle crêatûre sint edeler in gote denne sie an in selben sint. Dar umbe sol diu sêle ir edelkeit an sehen in gote âne bilde unde sol underscheit haben geschaffener und ungeschaffener dinge und habe underscheit gotes unde gotheit, nâtûre unde persône, forme unde materie. Der vater ist ein begin der gotheit und ist ein brunne in der gotheit, der an allen dingen ûz fliuzet in der êwikeit und in der zît. Diu gotheit ist ein himel der drîer persônen unde der vater ist got und ist ein persône von nieman geborn noch gevlozzen, unde der sun ist got und ist ein persône und ist geborn von dem vater, unde der heiligeist ist got und ein persône unde fliuzet von in beiden. Her ûf sprichet sant Paulus ‘der ungeschaffen geist, der dâ vliuzet in den geschaffenen geist.’ Swaz dem geschaffenen geiste begegent, daz offenbâret sich zuo irm nutze; daz ist in der sêle, diu dâ durchbrochen hât daz gemerke gotes unde sich verlorn hât in dem ungeschaffen nihte. Die drie persône sint ein got in einer nâtûre und unser nâtûre volget götlîcher nâtûre in êwiger bewegung; daz si gevolget hât von nihte zuo ihte unde gote volget in daz, daz er ime selben ist, dâ enhât si keinen wandel irs nihtes. Iht, daz hanget an götlîchem wesenne; volgung ist materie, daz diu sêle an sich nimet niuwe forme unde begît die si vor hâte. Daz si ûz einer wandelt in die andern, daz ist ir tôt, unde der si ûz gêt, der stirbet si, die si an sich nimet, dâ inne lebet si.

Sant Johannes sprichet ‘sêlic sint die tôten, die in gote sterbent: sie werdent begraben, dâ Kristus begraben wart.’ Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius: in gote begraben werden ist niht mê denne ein übervart in daz ungeschaffen leben. Diu kraft, dâ diu sêle inne wandelt, diu ist ir materie, unde die kraft die bekennet diu sêle niemer ze grunde, wan ez ist got, unde got enwandelt niht: diu sêle wandelt in sîner kraft. Her über sprichet sant Dionysius: got ist ein beweger der sêle. Dar umbe ist diu forme ein offenbârunge des wesens. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius, forme sî des wesennes iht. Materie âne forme daz ist niht. Dar umbe geruowet diu sêle niemer, si kome in got, der ir êrste forme ist, und alle crêatûre geruowent niemer, si komen in menschlîche nâtûre: in der koment si in ir êrste forme, diu got ist. Her über sprichet Dionysius: got ist ein anevanc und ein mitel und ein ende aller dinge.

Those whom God has eternally chosen, to them he gives his Spirit as he is, without means; they cannot lose it. The creatures that God might yet make, if he wished, he knew eternally as creatures, for they are creatures in God and in themselves they are nothing, and these are uncreated creatures. All creatures are nobler in God than they are in themselves. Therefore the soul should behold her nobility in God without image and should distinguish created from uncreated things, and should distinguish God and Godhead, nature and person, form and matter. The Father is a beginning of the Godhead and is a fountain in the Godhead that flows out to all things in eternity and in time. The Godhead is a heaven of the three persons; and the Father is God and is a person born or flowed from no one, and the Son is God and is a person and is born from the Father, and the Holy Spirit is God and a person and flows from them both. Saint Paul says concerning this: ‘the uncreated spirit that flows into the created spirit.’ Whatever encounters the created spirit reveals itself for its benefit; this occurs in the soul that has broken through the awareness of God and has lost herself in the uncreated nothing. The three persons are one God in one nature, and our nature follows divine nature in eternal movement; in that it has followed from nothing to something and follows God into what he is to himself, there it has no change of its nothingness. Something depends upon divine being; following is matter, in that the soul takes on a new form and abandons the one she had before. That she passes from one into the other is her death; to that from which she goes she dies, and in that which she takes upon herself she lives.

Saint John says, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in God: they shall be buried where Christ was buried.’ Saint Dionysius says concerning this: to be buried in God is nothing other than a passing-over into uncreated life. The power in which the soul passes is her matter, and the soul never knows that power to the ground, for it is God, and God does not change: the soul changes in his power. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: God is a mover of the soul. Therefore form is a revelation of being. Saint Dionysius says concerning this that form is a something of being. Matter without form is nothing. Therefore the soul never rests until she comes into God, who is her first form, and all creatures rest never until they come into human nature: in it they come into their first form, which is God. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: God is a beginning and a middle and an end of all things.

Nû sprichet diu minnende sêle ‘herre, wâ spîsest dû dîniu schaf?’ Daz tuon ich an dem hôhen mitentage, dâ got rastet in allen crêatûren und alle crêatûre in gote. Her ûf sprichet sant Augustînus: elliu dinc sint got. Dâ meinet er, daz sie êwiclich in gote sint gewesen unt daz sie wider in got süllent komen. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius: elliu dinc sint niht; dâ meinet er, daz sie an in selben niht ensint unde daz sie an ir ûzfluz und an ir înfluz alsô unbegrîfenlich sint alse niht. Her ûf sprichet Augustînus: got ist elliu dinc; dâ meinet er, daz er aller dinge kraft an ime hête edeler, denne er sî deheiner crêatûre ie gegeben. Sant Dionysius sprichet: got ist niht; dâ meinet er, daz got als unbegrîfenlich ist alse niht. Her ûf sprichet künic Dâvît ‘got hât allen dingen ir stat gegeben: dem vische daz wazzer, dem vogel den luft, den tieren die erde, der sêle die gotheit.’ Dar umbe stirbet diu sêle in allen formen wan in gote: dâ bestât ir materie, daz si enhein fürwert hât, und die krefte der sêle die ziuhet got in sich, daz diu sêle stât ûf eime blôzen geiste. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius, daz diu sêle denne niht sêle heize, si heize diu oberste kraft gotes dar umbe, wan got sînen willen mit ir würket. Her ûf sprichet sant Augustînus: herre, dû hâst mir mînen geist genomen. Nû sprichet Orienes: Augustine, dû hâst ze kleine gesprochen: dîn geist ist dir niht genomen: die krefte dîner sêle sint dir genomen. Dâ vereinet sich diu sêle mit gote, als diu spîse mit dem menschen: si wirt ouge in den ougen und ôre in den ôren. Alsô wirt diu sêle got in gote: mit einer ieglicher götlîcher kraft vereinet si sich alsô, als diu kraft an gote ist, unde got vereinet sich in der sêle alsô, als ieglichiu kraft in der sêle ist, unde die zwô nâtûre die vliezent in einem liehte, unt disiu wirt alwesende ze nihte. Daz si ist, daz ist si in gote. Die götlîchen krefte ziehent sî in sich, daz siz niht anesehent, als diu sunne alle crêatûre in sich ziuhet, daz si ez niht ansiht.

Daz got ime selben ist, daz kan nieman begrîfen. Got ist ime selben in allen dingen, got ist elliu dinc in allen dingen unde got ist ieglichem dinge alzemâle elliu dinc. Alsô sol diu sêle sîn. Daz got hât von nâtûre, daz hât diu sêle von gnâden. Got der ist enheinem dinge nihtsniht, got enist ime selben nihtesniht, got enist niht, daz man geworten mac. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius, daz got ime selben sî elliu dinc, daz ist, daz er aller dinge bilde treit. Dâ treit er sich in ein niht: dâ sint elliu dinc got, unde niht daz selbe, daz wir wâren. Dô wir niht enwâren, dô was got helle und himelrîch und elliu dinc. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius: got ist niht, daz ist, daz er sich treit in ein niht, daz ist in ein unbekantnisse aller crêatûren, unde daz niht ziuhet die sêle durch elliu dinc und über alliu dinc und enbüezen elliu dinc in daz ûzerôste niht, dâ si allen crêatûren unbekant ist. Dâ ist si niht, dâ enhât si niht, dâ enwil si niht, dâ hât si got gote gelâzen und elliu dinc. Solt dû got und himelrîche verliesen, sô sol dîn sêle alsô gar abe gescheiden sîn von allem dem, daz si enpfâhen mac götlîches fluzes, daz ir der geist niht mê gegeben mac. Als si dar zuo kumt, sô ist diu sêle deme lebenne der êwikeit mê denne si sî der geschaffenheit, unde der ungeschaffen geist der lebet mê denne si lebe, unde daz ungeschaffen, daz dâ êwic ist gewesen, daz ist niht minr denne got. Als diu sêle hie mite durchgangen wirt, daz si sich selben gar verliuset, denne alrêst sô kumt si wider an ir selber zuo dem êwigen armüete, wan allez, daz dâ an ir lebet, daz ist niht minr denne got. Dâ von heizet si arm an ir selben. Hie sô scheidet sich diu sêle unde diu gotheit, unde daz entblîben der gotheit daz ist der sêle vinden, wan der geist, der dâ ungeschaffen ist, der ziuhet die sêle an ir bekennen, daz si nâher ist der entblîbunge der gotheit, denne ob si bekante allez, daz der vater ie gegab. [Gâbe des vaters ist wesen des ihtes aller crêatûre unde persône des sunes unde mit dem sune des heiligen geistes oben disen. Wan die persône sint unverscheidenlich ze verstânne underscheidne liuhtende der verstentnisse]. Und als vil als diu sêle dar zuo kumt in disem lîbe, als verre sol sis êweclîche gebrûchen unde des selben sol si sich verzîhen.

Now the loving soul says, ‘Lord, where do you feed your sheep?’ I do so at high noon, where God rests in all creatures and all creatures in God. Saint Augustine says concerning this: all things are God. By this he means that they have existed eternally in God and that they shall return into God. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: all things are nothing; by this he means that in themselves they are nothing and that in their outflow and in their inflow they are as incomprehensible as nothing. Augustine says concerning this: God is all things; by this he means that he possessed in himself the power of all things more nobly than he ever gave it to any creature. Saint Dionysius says: God is nothing; by this he means that God is as incomprehensible as nothing. King David says concerning this: ‘God has given all things their place: to the fish the water, to the bird the air, to the animals the earth, to the soul the Godhead.’ Therefore the soul dies in all forms except in God: there her matter subsists, so that she has no further advance, and God draws the powers of the soul into himself, so that the soul rests upon a bare spirit. Saint Dionysius says concerning this that the soul is then not called soul; she is called the highest power of God, because God works his will with her. Saint Augustine says concerning this: Lord, you have taken my spirit from me. Origen now says: Augustine, you have spoken too little: your spirit has not been taken from you; the powers of your soul have been taken from you. There the soul unites with God as food with the human being: she becomes eye in the eyes and ear in the ears. Thus the soul becomes God in God: with each divine power she unites herself as that power is in God, and God unites himself in the soul as each power is in the soul; and the two natures flow in one light, and she becomes nothing in all her being. What she is, she is in God. The divine powers draw her into themselves so that they do not behold her, just as the sun draws all creatures into itself so that it does not behold them.

What God is to himself no one can comprehend. God is to himself in all things; God is all things in all things, and God is wholly all things to each thing. So should the soul be. What God has by nature, the soul has by grace. God is not a nothing to any thing; God is not a nothing to himself; God is nothing that can be put into words. Saint Dionysius says concerning this that God is all things to himself; that is, he bears the image of all things. There he bears himself into a nothing: there all things are God, and not the same thing that we were. When we did not exist, God was hell and the kingdom of heaven and all things. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: God is nothing; that is, he bears himself into a nothing, namely into an unknowing of all creatures, and that nothing draws the soul through all things and above all things and beyond all things into the uttermost nothing, where she is unknown to all creatures. There she is nothing, there she has nothing, there she wills nothing; there she has left God to God and all things. If you were to lose God and the kingdom of heaven, your soul should be so completely detached from everything that she can receive of divine flowing that the spirit can give her nothing more. When she comes to this, the soul belongs more to the life of eternity than to createdness, and the uncreated spirit lives more than she lives, and the uncreated that has eternally been is no less than God. When the soul is thus passed through so that she wholly loses herself, only then does she return in herself to eternal poverty, for everything that lives in her there is no less than God. Therefore she is called poor in herself. Here the soul and the Godhead become distinct, and the withdrawal of the Godhead is the soul's finding, for the spirit that is uncreated draws the soul into the knowledge that she is nearer to the withdrawal of the Godhead than if she knew everything the Father ever gave. [The Father's gift is the being of the something of every creature and the person of the Son and, with the Son, of the Holy Spirit above these. For the persons are to be understood as distinct, shining distinctions of understanding.] And insofar as the soul comes to this in this life, to that extent she shall eternally have fruition of it and shall renounce that same fruition.

Wir sullen êweclîche als arm sîn, als dô wir niht enwâren, und unser rîchtuom sol niht verderben, er belîbet in gote, des er êweclîch ist. Diu gotheit hât gote elliu dinc gelâzen; si ist als arm und als blôz und als ledic, als obe si niht enwêre; si hât niht, si wil niht, si bedarf niht, si enwürket niht noch gebirt niht. Her ûf sprichet sant Dionysius: diu sêle enkan sich niemer sô gar enblœzen, diu gotheit gê ir vor, als daz niht, dâ nie kîde abe geschaffen wart noch dâ niemer kîde abe geschaffen wirt. Nâch dem fürgange streket sich diu sêle mê denne nâch allem dem, daz got an im begrîfen mac, unde nâch allem dem, daz si an gote begrîfen mac. Her ûf sprichet die brût in der minne buoche ‘hey, mîn liep ist mir vor gegangen an sîner forme und ich enmac ime niht gevolgen.’ Got der hêt die wertsamkeit unde die brût in ime, unde diu gotheit gêt lidic abe, als si niht enwêre. Got hêt die forme der sêle in sich gezogen und hât die sêle mit sîner forme geformet an sîner forme. Nû nimet si elliu dinc an sich âne materie, als si der schepfer an im hête, unde daz selbe lâzet si gote.

Wir süllen elliu dinc halten in der edelkeit, als sie diu êwic wîsheit êweclîche gehalten hât. Wir süllen elliu dinc geisten, als sie der heilig geist êweclîche gegeistet hât. Wir süllen allen dingen geist sîn, und elliu dinc sülent uns geist sîn in dem geiste. Wir sülen elliu dinc bekennen und uns mit allen dingen gotten. Alsô sülen wir von gnâden got sîn, als got von nâtûre got ist, unde des selben sülen wir uns verzîhen unde süllen ez gote lâzen unde sülen als arm sîn, als dô wir niht enwâren. Und in dem enthalte süllen wir als ledic gân, als dô wir niht enwâren und als diu gotheit ledic gêt in ir nihtsînde. Her ûf sprichet Kristus ‘sêlic sint die armen des geistes.’ Dise armen des geistes die süllent mit dem vater gebrûchen âne underscheit. Der vater bekennet ime selben enkêinen underscheit enzwischen im unde der sêle wan als vil, daz er ez von nâtûre hât unde si von gnâden. Her ûf sprichet Kristus ‘die mir volgent, die wil ich bringen dâ ich bin.’ Kristus sprichet ‘sêlic sint die armen des geistes: gotes rîche ist in inen.’ Die armen des geistes daz sint die, die got elliu dinc gelâzen hânt, als er sie hâte, dô wir niht enwâren, unde niht an im selben. In dem nihte wonet got unde diu sêle wonet in gote. Dâ hêt si enhein wonen unde dâ kan enhein crêatûre zuo komen mit ir kraft noch enhein crêatûre enmac niht hoeher komen.

We should eternally be as poor as when we did not exist, and our riches shall not perish; they remain in God, to whom they eternally belong. The Godhead has left all things to God; it is as poor and as bare and as free as if it did not exist; it has nothing, wills nothing, needs nothing, works nothing, nor gives birth to anything. Saint Dionysius says concerning this: the soul can never strip herself so completely that the Godhead does not go before her, like the nothing from which nothing was ever created and from which nothing will ever be created. After this passing-beyond the soul reaches more toward everything that God can comprehend in himself and toward everything that she can comprehend in God. The bride says concerning this in the Book of Love: ‘Ah, my beloved has gone before me in his form, and I cannot follow him.’ God has the preciousness and the bride in himself, and the Godhead goes away free as though it did not exist. God has drawn the form of the soul into himself and has formed the soul with his form according to his form. Now she takes all things into herself without matter, as the Creator had them in himself, and she leaves that same to God.

We should hold all things in the nobility in which eternal Wisdom has eternally held them. We should spiritualize all things as the Holy Spirit has eternally spiritualized them. We should be spirit to all things, and all things should be spirit to us in the Spirit. We should know all things and become God together with all things. Thus by grace we should be God, as God by nature is God; and we should renounce that same and leave it to God and should be as poor as when we did not exist. And in this state we should go as free as when we did not exist and as the Godhead goes free in its nothingness. Christ says concerning this: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit.’ These poor in spirit shall have fruition with the Father without distinction. The Father knows in himself no distinction between himself and the soul except insofar as he has it by nature and she by grace. Christ says concerning this: ‘Those who follow me, I will bring where I am.’ Christ says: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: God's kingdom is in them.’ The poor in spirit are those who have left all things to God as he had them when we did not exist, and nothing in himself. In the nothing God dwells and the soul dwells in God. There she has no dwelling, and there no creature can come by its own power, nor can any creature come higher.