2. t. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἕτερα κεφάλαια γνωστικά

τε καὶ θεολογικὰ κεʹ.

2.1. PENITENCE IS NOT for the man who contemplates, [theologein]  just as contemplation is not for the man who must do penance. As far as [is] the rising from the setting of the sun, so does contemplation surpass penitence. A man who repents and does penitential works is like a sick and diseased person, or a wretched beggar crying out for alms, but the contemplative is someone who lives in the courts of the emperor, who wears splendid and royal garments. He is a confidant of the emperor, speaking with him constantly, and hour by hour listening directly to his commands and wishes.

1. αʹ Οὔτε τῷ θεολογοῦντι ἁρμόζει μετάνοια οὔτε τῷ μετανοοῦντι θεολογία· καθόσον γὰρ ἀπέχουσιν ἀνατολαὶ ἀπὸ δυσμῶν, κατὰ τοσοῦτον ὑψηλοτέρα ἡ θεολογία τῆς μετανοίας ἐστίν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐν νόσοις καὶ ἀσθενείαις διάγων ἢ ὡς ῥακοδυτῶν πένης καὶ κράζων ⁽⁵⁾ ἐλεημοσύνην, οὕτως ὁ ἐν μετανοίᾳ ὢν καὶ τὰ τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ποιῶν χρηματίζει· ὁ δέ γε θεολογῶν ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ ἐν ταῖς βασιλείοις αὐλαῖς ἀναστρεφομένῳ ἐν λαμπρότητι βασιλικωτάτης στολῆς καὶ οἰκείῳ ὄντι τῷ βασιλεῖ λαλοῦντί τε αὐτῷ ἀεὶ καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καθ’ ὥραν ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἐνηχουμένῳ τρανῶς τὰ ἐκείνου προστάγματα καὶ θελήματα.

2.2. As the knowledge of God develops within us, it becomes the cause and agent of our ignorance of all other beings, and this includes even God himself, for the immensity of his brilliant light blinds us to everything. Sensation which transcends all things is itself beyond sensation, and so it be-comes insensible to everything outside itself. How can we even call it a sensation when we cannot comprehend or grasp these things at all? We do not know what they are like, or their source and origin, or how they come about, let alone what they are in themselves. Is it not true that these things are really beyond sensation, and that the mind senses its own weakness and finds itself insensible to something which is beyond sensation? For that which the eye has not seen, or ear heard, which has never entered into the heart of man,’ how shall it fall within the scope of sensation?

2. βʹ Ἡ προσθήκη τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγνωσίας τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων αἰτία καὶ πρόξενος γίνεται, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ πολὺ τῆς ἐλλάμψεως αὐτοῦ παντελὴς ἀβλεψία, καὶ ἡ ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν ὑπερτελὴς αἴσθησις πάντων τῶν ἔξω ταύτης ὄντων ἀναισθησία. Ἡ γὰρ ὁποῖα ⁽⁵⁾ καὶ ποταπὰ καὶ ποῦ καὶ τίνα καὶ πῶς τὰ ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ἀγνοοῦσα καὶ καταμαθεῖν ἢ κατανοῆσαι ὅλως ταῦτα μὴ ἐξισχύουσα πῶς αἴσθησις ἔσται; Καὶ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν μὲν ἐκεῖνα, ὁ δὲ νοῦς ἐν αἰσθήσει τῆς ἑαυτοῦ  ἀσθενείας ἀναίσθητος πρὸς τὰ ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν εὑρεθῇ; ⁽¹⁰⁾ «Ἃ γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη», πῶς αἰσθήσει ὑποβληθήσον- ται;

2.3. The Lord who has graced us with these super-sensible things also gives us by his Spirit a new super-sensible sensation, so that through all our senses his gifts and graces, which supernaturally transcend sensation, can be sensed clearly and purely.

3. γʹ Ὁ τὰ ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν ἡμῖν χαριζόμενος Κύριος δίδωσιν ἡμῖν καὶ ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν αἴσθησιν ἄλλην διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος αὐτοῦ, ὅπως τῶν ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν καὶ χαρισμάτων ὑπερφυῶς διὰ πασῶν τῶν αἰσθήσεων τρανῶς καὶ καθαρῶς αἰσθανώμεθα. ⁽⁵⁾

2.4. Any man who is insensible to the One’ must be insensible to everything, just as he who senses the One thereby senses all things, even though he is outside all sensation. He stands within the sensation of all things, but is not overcome by this sensation.’

4. δʹ Πᾶς ὁ ἀναίσθητος πρὸς τὸ ἓν πρὸς πάντα ἀναίσθη- τός ἐστιν, ὡς καὶ ὁ αἴσθησιν ἔχων πρὸς τὸ ἓν ἐν αἰσθήσει πάντων ἐστὶ καὶ τῆς αἰσθήσεως πάντων ἐκτός ἐστιν. Ἐν τῇ αἰσθήσει πάντων ἐστὶ καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς αἰσθήσεως αὐτῶν οὐ καταλαμβάνεται. ⁽⁵⁾

2.5. A man who is deaf to the word is deaf to all voices. But the man who hears the word can hear them all and still be deaf to everyone. He hears them all, but listens to none, except those who speak within the word. Even from these he takes nothing, for he listens only to the word who speaks silently through them.

5. εʹ Ὁ κωφὸς πρὸς τὸν λόγον κωφὸς πρὸς πᾶσαν φωνήν ἐστιν, ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀκούων τοῦ λόγου πάντων ἀκούει· οὗτος κωφεύων ἐστὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν φωνήν, πάντων ἀκούει καὶ οὐδενός, εἰ μὴ τῶν ἐν λόγῳ μόνων τοὺς λόγους ποιουμέ- νων, καὶ οὐδὲ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ λόγου μόνου τοῦ ἐν τῇ φωνῇ ⁽⁵⁾ ἀφώνως φθεγγομένου.

2.6. When a man hears and sees and feels in this way, he will know the meaning of my words. It is obvious that a man who is incapable of understanding has not kept the senses of his soul alive and healthy, and so he still has not learned that he was made to look upon visible creation and to be initiated into the intelligible world. If he receives this honor, but then lowers himself to the level of the senseless beasts weighed down with burdens,’ then he will stay like them and cannot be converted or called back or restored to his former dignity in accordance with the gift of the dispensation of our Lord and master Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’

6. ϛʹ Ὁ ἀκούων οὕτως καὶ βλέπων καὶ αἰσθανόμενος οἶδε τῶν λεγομένων τὴν δύναμιν. Ὁ δὲ μὴ εἰδὼς πρόδηλός ἐστιν ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰ αἰσθητήρια τῆς ψυχῆς τετρανωμένα καὶ ὑγιῆ ἐπιφέρεται· οὕτως δὲ ἔχων οὔπω ἔγνω ὅτι «ἐπόπτης ἐκτίσθη τῆς ὁρωμένης κτίσεως καὶ μύστης τῆς νοουμένης», ⁽⁵⁾ ἀλλ’ ἐν τιμῇ ὤν, παρεσυνεβλήθη καὶ ὡμοιώθη τοῖς ἀνοήτοις καὶ ἀχθοφόροις κτήνεσι καὶ ὁμοιωθεὶς μένει τοιοῦτος ἔτι μὴ ἐπαναστραφείς, μὴ ἐπανακληθείς, ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ πρῶτον  ἀξίωμα ἀναχθεὶς κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς οἰκονομίας τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ⁽¹⁰⁾ Θεοῦ.

2.7. While you are below do not search out the things above. Before you are lifted above do not have much to do with the things below. Then you will not fall and lose both, or rather be left with only the lower things.

7. ζʹ Κάτω ὢν μὴ ἐρεύνα τὰ ἄνω· πρὸ δὲ τοῦ γενέσθαι σε ἄνω, μὴ πολυπραγμονήσῃς τὰ κάτω, ἵνα μὴ ὀλισθήσας ἀμφοτέρων ἐκπέσῃς, μᾶλλον δὲ συναπολειφθῇς τοῖς κάτω.

2.8. When a man has been raised by the emperor from the direst poverty and given riches; when he has been clothed by him in illustrious dignity and splendid garments, and even called to stand in his presence, then surely he regards his emperor with affection and loves him greatly as his benefactor? He takes note of the uniform he now bears and appreciates the dignity and the riches that have fallen to him. All this applies [ in a similar way] to the monk who has truly abandoned the world and all its affairs, and come near to Christ. He has felt his call and has risen to the heights of spiritual contemplation by keeping the commandments. This man sees God himself without any error, and he clearly perceives the change that has come over him. He sees the grace of the Spirit always shining round him. This is called `the garment’ or `the royal purple; but it is really Christ himself, if only those who believe are truly clothed in him.’

8. ηʹ Καθάπερ ὁ ἀπὸ πτωχείας ἐσχάτης ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς πλοῦτον ἀνενεχθείς, καὶ περιφανὲς ἀξίωμα στολήν τε παρ’ αὐτοῦ λαμπρὰν ἐνδυθεὶς καὶ πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἵστασθαι κελευσθείς, αὐτόν τε τὸν βασιλέα μετὰ πόθου ὁρᾷ καὶ ὡς εὐεργέτην ὑπεραγαπᾷ, τὴν στολήν τε ⁽⁵⁾ ἣν ἐνεδύσατο τρανῶς κατανοεῖ καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα ἐπιγινώσκει καὶ τὸν δοθέντα αὐτῷ πλοῦτον ἐπίσταται· οὕτω καὶ μοναχὸς ὁ ἀληθῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ πραγμάτων ἀναχωρήσας καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ Χριστῷ, ἀνακληθείς τε εὐαισθήτως καὶ πρὸς ὕψος πνευματικῆς θεωρίας διὰ τῆς ⁽¹⁰⁾ τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐργασίας ἀνενεχθείς, αὐτόν τε τὸν Θεὸν ἀπλανῶς ὁρᾷ καὶ τὴν γενομένην εἰς αὐτὸν ἀλλοίωσιν τρανῶς κατανοεῖ· βλέπει γὰρ ἀεὶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν περιλάμπουσαν αὐτόν, ἥτις ἔνδυμα καλεῖται καὶ βασίλειος ἁλουργίς, μᾶλλον δ’ ὅπερ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, εἴπερ αὐτὸν οἱ εἰς αὐτὸν ⁽¹⁵⁾ πιστεύοντες ἐπενδύονται.

2.9. When a man is enriched with heavenly treasure—and I mean the presence and the indwelling of him who said: `I and the Father shall come and make our home in him;’—then such a man knows in his very soul what immense grace he has received and what great happiness he contains within the palace of his heart. He speaks to God like one friend to an-other,’ and in all boldness stands before the face of him who dwells in light inaccessible.”

9. θʹ Ὁ τὸν οὐράνιον πλοῦτον πεπλουτηκώς, τὴν παρουσίαν λέγω καὶ κατασκήνωσιν τοῦ εἰπόντος· «Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παρ’ αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν», ἐν γνώσει ψυχῆς ἐπίσταται ὅσης ἀπέλαυσε χάριτος καὶ ὅσον καὶ οἷον ἐπιφέρεται ὄλβον κατὰ τὰ ἀνάκτορα τῆς καρδίας ⁽⁵⁾ αὐτοῦ· ὡς γὰρ φίλος φίλῳ διαλεγόμενος τῷ Θεῷ, πεπαρ-  ρησιασμένος παρίσταται πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ ἐν ἀπροσίτῳ κατοικοῦντος φωτί.

2.10. Blessed is the man who believes these things. Thrice blessed is he who strives by means of good works and holy asceticism to understand these things I have spoken of. When a man has arrived at the heights of this condition through knowledge and contemplation, he is an angel. Indeed I could go further, for he has come to stand in the presence of God like a son of God.

10. ιʹ Μακάριος ὁ πιστεύων τούτοις, τρισμακάριος ὁ σπεύδων διὰ πράξεως καὶ ἀγώνων ἱερῶν καταλαβεῖν τὴν γνῶσιν τῶν εἰρημένων· ἄγγελος, ἵνα μή τι πλέον εἴπω, ὁ πεφθακὼς διὰ θεωρίας καὶ γνώσεως ἐν τῷ ὕψει ταύτης τῆς στάσεως καὶ πλησίον Θεοῦ ὡς υἱὸς Θεοῦ γεγονώς. ⁽⁵⁾

2.11. When a man stands on the seashore he can see the endless waves of the ocean, but he can appreciate only a fraction of their whole extent. It is the same when a man has been counted worthy to gaze through contemplation on the boundless seas of the glory of God and to perceive him with his mind. He does not then see him as great as he is, but sees him only as great as is possible for the inner eyes of the soul that sees him.

11. ιαʹ Ὃν τρόπον ὁ παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν τῆς θαλάσσης ἱστάμενος βλέπει μὲν τῶν ὑδάτων τὸ ἄπειρον πέλαγος, οὐ μέντοι τὸ πέρας τούτων καταλαβεῖν δύναται, ἀλλὰ μέρος τι καθορᾷ· οὕτω καὶ ὁ εἰς τὸ ἄπειρον πέλαγος τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης διὰ θεωρίας ἐνατενίσαι ἀξιωθεὶς καὶ κατιδεῖν αὐτὸ ⁽⁵⁾ νοερῶς, οὐχ ὅσον ἐστίν, ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἐφικτὸν τοῖς νοεροῖς ὄμμασιν αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς καθορᾷ.

2.12. It is like a man standing by the sea. If he is not con-tent just to look, he can go into the waters as deeply as he wants. And if spiritual persons want it, they too can enter into participation with the light of God by means of contemplation, to the extent that they are inspired by desire and knowledge.

12. ιβʹ Ὥσπερ ὁ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν ἑστηκὼς οὐ μόνον αὐτὴν ὁρᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῆς εἰσέρχεται ὅσον βούλεται, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ βουλόμενοι τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐν μεθέξει ἅμα καὶ θεωρίᾳ, καθόσον δι’ ἐφέσεως ἐπειχθῶσι, μετὰ γνώσεως γίνονται. ⁽⁵⁾

2.13. You can stand on the floodwalls and as long as you are not in the water you can see everything and grasp that whole ocean of water at a glance. But once you start to enter the water and become immersed, then the more you go down into it the more you lose sight of everything outside. It is the same for men who have come to participate in the divine light: the more they progress in divine knowledge, the more they fall into ignorance.’

13. ιγʹ Καθάπερ ὁ παρὰ τὰς θαλαττίας ὄχθας ἱστάμενος, ἕως μὲν ἔξω τῶν ὑδάτων ἐστίν, ἅπαντα καθορᾷ καὶ τὸ πέλαγος τῶν ὑδάτων κατανοεῖ, ἐπὰν δὲ ἄρξηται εἰσέρχεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι καὶ ἐν ἐκείνοις βαπτίζεσθαι, καθόσον κατέρχεται κατὰ τοσοῦτον καὶ τῆς θεωρίας τῶν ἔξω ἀπολιμπάνεται· ⁽⁵⁾ οὕτω καὶ οἱ τοῦ θείου φωτὸς ἐν μεθέξει γενόμενοι, καθόσον εἰς γνῶσιν προκόπτουσι θείαν εἰς ἀγνωσίαν μᾶλλον κατὰ ἀναλογίαν ἐμπίπτουσιν.

2.14. When a man goes up to his knees or even to his waist in the water, he can still see everything outside the water quite clearly, but when he goes down to the bottom and is completely underwater he can see nothing of the things out-side. He knows but one thing: that he is totally in the depths of the sea. It is exactly the same for men who make progress along the spiritual path and rise to the perfection of knowledge and contemplation.

14. ιδʹ Ὥσπερ ὁ εἰς τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης μέχρι γονάτων ἢ τῆς ὀσφύος γενόμενος ἅπαντα τρανῶς τὰ ἔξωθεν ὄντα τῶν ὑδάτων ὁρᾷ, ἐπὰν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον κατέλθῃ καὶ @ ὅλος αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τὰ ὕδατα γένηται, οὐκέτι τῶν ἔξωθεν ὁρᾶν τι δύναται, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο μόνον οἶδεν ὅτι ὅλος ἐν τῷ βυθῷ ⁽⁵⁾ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστίν· οὕτω συμβαίνει γίνεσθαι καὶ εἰς τοὺς κατὰ προκοπὴν πνευματικὴν αὐξάνοντας καὶ εἰς τελειότητα γνώσεως καὶ θεωρίας ἀνερχομένους.

2.15. When it happens that men who are advancing to-wards spiritual perfection are partly illuminated (that is, only their mind is enlightened), then they see the glory of the Lord intelligibly as if in a mirror. This grace from above teaches them knowledge’ in a mystical way and confers a revelation of mysteries which leads them from the contemplation of beings to the knowledge of him who is beyond all beings.

15. ιεʹ Ὅταν οἱ πρὸς τὴν πνευματικὴν προκόπτοντες τελειότητα μερικῶς φωτίζωνται, ἤτοι μόνον ἐλλάμπωνται τὸν νοῦν, τότε τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου νοερῶς ἐνοπτρίζονται καὶ ἐπιγνώσεως γνῶσιν καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις μυστηρίων ὑπὸ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος μυστικῶς ἐκδιδάσκονται ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ⁽⁵⁾ ὄντων θεωρίας ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ ὑπὲρ τὰ ὄντα ὄντος ἀναγόμενοι γνῶσιν.

2.16. When men come close to perfection and yet see it only in part, they are frightened when they realize that it is impossible to grasp or seize what they see. As they penetrate into the light of knowledge, so do they receive an under-standing of their own ignorance. When that which appeared to them rather indistinctly at first, showing itself as if in a mirror’ and partly illuminating what their minds have grasped, sees fit to allow itself to be seen fully and to be united by participation with the man it has illumined, then it gathers him completely into itself. He is then totally with-in the depths of the Spirit, just as if he had been dropped into a bottomless abyss of illuminated waters. When this happens he rises ineffably into perfect unknowing, for he has transcended all knowledge.

16. ιϛʹ Οἱ τῇ τελειότητι προσεγγίζοντες καὶ ἔτι βλέ- ποντες ὡς ἐκ μέρους τὴν ἀπειρίαν καὶ ἀκαταληψίαν ὧνπερ ὁρῶσι κατανοοῦντες ἐκπλήττονται· καθόσον γὰρ τῷ φωτὶ τῆς γνώσεως ὑπεισέρχονται, ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀγνωσίας λαμβάνουσιν· ὁπηνίκα δὲ τὸ ἀμυδρῶς πως φαινόμενον ⁽⁵⁾ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὡς ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ δεικνύμενον καὶ μερικῶς ἐλλάμπον αὐτῶν τὸ νοούμενον, ὀφθῆναι πλέον εὐδοκήσει καὶ ἑνωθῆναι κατὰ μέθεξιν τῷ ἐλλαμπομένῳ, ὅλον αὐτὸν περιλαμβάνον ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καὶ ὅλος ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῷ βάθει τοῦ Πνεύματος ὡς ἐν μέσῳ ἀβύσσου φωτοειδῶν ὑδάτων ἀπείρων ἐναπολειφθῇ, ⁽¹⁰⁾ τηνικαῦτα εἰς παντελῆ ἀγνωσίαν, ὡς ὑπὲρ ἅπασαν γνῶσιν γενόμενος, ἀπορρήτως ἀνέρχεται.

2.17. When the mind is simple, or rather stripped of all conceptions and completely clothed in the simple light of God and hidden within it, it can find no other object in which it is established to which it can direct the motion of its thought. It remains in the depths of God’s light and can see nothing outside. This is what the saying means: `God is light.” He is the supreme light, and for all those who have achieved it, the repose of all contemplation.

17. ιζʹ Ἁπλοῦς ὢν ὁ νοῦς, μᾶλλον δὲ πάσης ἐννοίας γυμνὸς καὶ ἐν ἁπλῷ εἰσδὺς ὅλος θείῳ φωτί, ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ καλυπτόμενος, οὐκ ἔχει ἄλλο τι τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ὑπάρχει εὑρεῖν ἵνα καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου κατανόησιν κινηθῇ, ἀλλὰ μένει ἐν τῷ βυθῷ τοῦ θείου φωτός, ἔξω ὅλως ἀποβλέψαι μὴ συγχωρού-  ⁽⁵⁾ μενος. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν· «Ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστι» καὶ «φῶς τὸ ἀκρότατον» «καὶ οὗ γενομένοις πάσης θεωρίας ἀνάπαυσις».

2.18. So although the mind is always in motion, it becomes motionless and empty of thought when it is completely covered by the divine darkness and light; or rather, it is in the vision, the sensation, and the enjoyment of these good things that it is established, for the depths of the waters of the sea are not exactly the same as the depths of the Holy Spirit, who is the living water of eternal life.’ Everything to do with such a life ] is incomprehensible, beyond explanation or understanding, and once the mind has gone beyond visible and conceptual reality, it moves and turns motionlessly round these things alone. It lives a life beyond life. It is light within light, though not a light to itself; for then it is not itself that it sees, but him who is above it; and the glory from him takes the mind away from its own thought so that it no longer knows itself.

18. ιηʹ Ἀκίνητος τηνικαῦτα ὁ ἀεικίνητος νοῦς καὶ πάντῃ ἀνέννοιος γίνεται ὁπηνίκα ὅλος ὑπὸ τοῦ θείου γνόφου καὶ φωτὸς καλυφθῇ· πλὴν ἐν θεωρίᾳ ὑπάρχει καὶ αἰσθήσει καὶ ἀπολαύσει τῶν ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ἀγαθῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ὁ βυθὸς τῶν τῆς θαλάσσης ὑδάτων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ βυθός ἐστι τοῦ ⁽⁵⁾ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἀλλ’ ὕδωρ ὑπάρχει ζῶν αἰωνίου ζωῆς. Πάντα δὲ τὰ ἐκεῖσε ἀκατανόητα, ἀνερμήνευτα καὶ ἀκατά- ληπτά εἰσιν, ἐν οἷς ὁ νοῦς πάντα τὰ ὁρώμενα καὶ νοούμενα διαβὰς γίνεται καὶ ἐν μόνοις ἐκείνοις ἀκινήτως κινεῖται καὶ στρέφεται, ζῶν ὑπὲρ ζωὴν ἐν ζωῇ, φῶς ὢν ἐν φωτὶ καὶ οὐ ⁽¹⁰⁾ φῶς τὸ καθ’ ἑαυτόν· οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν τότε ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν καθορᾷ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν δόξης τὴν ἔννοιαν ἀλλοιούμε- νος ὅλον ἑαυτὸν ἀγνοεῖ.

2.19. A man who has achieved the measures of perfection is dead and not dead, for he lives in union with God because he no longer lives for himself.’ He is a blind man, for he no longer sees by nature. He has transcended all natural vision because he has received new and better eyes, beyond comparison with those of nature, and so he sees beyond nature. He neither stirs nor moves, for all [need of] movement has been fulfilled in him. He is devoid of thoughts because he has become one with him who is beyond understanding. He rests where there is no more stirring of the mind, no movement at all, either of reflecting, reasoning, or understanding, for there is no way it can conceive or define something beyond thought or conception, and it is therefore in a state of rest. This rest is the stillness of blessedness beyond all sensation, through a true sensation of these indescribable delights which we truly enjoy without effort.

19. ιθʹ Νεκρὸς καὶ οὐ νεκρὸς ὢν ὁ εἰς μέτρα πεφθακὼς τελειότητός ἐστι ζῶν ἐν ᾧ ὑπάρχει Θεῷ, ὡς μὴ ζῶν ἑαυτῷ· τυφλός, ὡς οὐ φύσει ὁρῶν· πάσης φυσικῆς ὁράσεως ὑπέρτε- ρος γεγονώς, ὡς καινοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ κρείττονας ὑπὲρ τοὺς τῆς φύσεως ἀσυγκρίτως λαβὼν καὶ ὑπὲρ φύσιν ⁽⁵⁾ ὁρῶν· ἀνενέργητος καὶ ἀκίνητος, ὡς πᾶσαν ἑαυτοῦ πληρώσας ἐνέργειαν· ἀνέννοιος, ὡς ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἔννοιαν ἑνώσει γενόμενος καὶ καταπαύσας ἔνθα οὐκ ἔστι νοὸς ἐνέργεια, ἤτοι πρὸς ἐνθύμησιν ἢ λογισμὸν ἢ ἔννοιαν ὅλως κίνησις· τὰ γὰρ ἀκατανόητα καὶ ἀμήχανα κατανοεῖν ἢ καταμανθάνειν ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἀδυνατεῖ καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐν τούτοις ἐπαναπαύεται, ἀνάπαυσιν  ἐκείνην τὴν ἀκινησίαν τῆς μακαρίας ἀναισθησίας, ἐν αἰσθήσει βεβαίᾳ τῶν ἀνεκφράστων δηλονότι ἀπεριέργως ἐντρυφῶν  ἀγαθῶν.

2.20. If someone has not been judged worthy to come to such a degree of perfection and gain possession of these good things, he can only blame himself. He must not excuse him-self by saying that the whole thing is impossible, or that even if perfection does come, it comes on us unawares. No, he must know for certain from the scriptures that this is all possible and true, something that comes to effect and motivates our consciousness. A man only deprives himself of these good things as he is negligent, and when he breaks the commandments.’

20. κʹ Ὁ μὴ πρὸς τὸ τοιοῦτον μέτρον τῆς τελειότητος φθάσαι καταξιωθεὶς καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἐν κατασχέσει γενέσθαι καλῶν ἑαυτοῦ μόνου καταγινωσκέτω καὶ μὴ λεγέτω προφασιζόμενος, ὅτι ἀδύνατόν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἢ ὅτι γίνεται μὲν ἡ τελειότης, ἀγνώστως δέ, ἀλλὰ γινωσκέτω, ⁽⁵⁾ πληροφορούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν θείων γραφῶν, ὅτι τὸ μὲν πρᾶγμα δυνατὸν καὶ ἀληθές ἐστιν, ἔργῳ γινόμενον καὶ γνωστῶς ἐνεργούμενον, τῇ δὲ ἐλλείψει καὶ ἀργίᾳ τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστος τῶν τοιούτων κατὰ ἀναλογίαν ἀποστερεῖ ἀγαθῶν. ⁽¹⁰⁾

2.21. Many read the divine Scriptures and others hear them read. Few, however, are able to understand rightly the meaning and significance of what is read. They say that what the Scriptures speak of is impossible, or they judge them completely unworthy of faith, or interpret them wickedly. They reckon that things said of the present apply to the future, and they take the sayings about things to come as if they had already happened or were daily events. There is no right judgement among them,’ and no true discernment in the affairs of God and man.

21. καʹ Πολλοὶ μὲν ἀναγινώσκουσι τὰς θείας γραφάς, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένας ἀκούουσιν, ὀλίγοι δὲ οἱ καὶ τῶν ἀναγινωσκομένων τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὴν ἔννοιαν ὀρθῶς εἰδέναι δυνάμενοι· οἳ ποτὲ μὲν ἀδύνατα εἶναι τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν θείων γραφῶν λεγόμενα ἀποφαίνονται, ποτὲ δὲ καὶ ἄπιστα παντε- ⁽⁵⁾ λῶς ἡγοῦνται, ἢ καὶ ἀλληγοροῦσι ταῦτα κακῶς καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὸν ἐνεστῶτα χρόνον λεγόμενα ὡς πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἐκβῆναι κρίνουσι, τὰ δὲ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων εἰρημένα, ὡς ἤδη γεγονότα καὶ καθεκάστην γινόμενα ἐκλαμβάνονται· καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι κρίσις ὀρθὴ ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ διάγνωσις ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἀληθὴς ἐν θείοις καὶ ἀνθρωπίνοις πράγμασιν.

2.22. From the beginning God created two worlds, the visible and the invisible. But there is one single emperor of all visible reality, bearing in himself the characters of both worlds—what can be seen in him, that is, and what can only be comprehended about him. And in accordance with these two worlds there are two suns shining: one can be sensed, the other comprehended. What our sun is for this visible and sensory world, God is for the invisible and intelligible world. He is called the sun of righteousness and so he is.’ So, then, we have these two suns, one sensible and one intelligible, just as there are two worlds, as I have said. One of these — that is the sensible world and all it constains — is illuminated by this sensible and visible sun, but the other—that is the intelligible world and all those in it—is illumined and enlightened by the sun of righteousness. So on the one hand, sensory things are illuminated by the sensible sun and, on the other, intelligible reality is illumined by the intelligible sun. But there is no full union or understanding or communion between the two, either from the intelligible to the sensible, or from the sensible world to the intelligible.’

22. κβʹ Ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ ἀρχῆς δύο κόσμους πεποίηκεν, ὁρατὸν καὶ ἀόρατον, ἕνα δὲ βασιλέα τῶν ὁρωμένων τῶν δύο κόσμων ἐν ἑαυτῷ τοὺς χαρακτῆρας ἐπιφερόμενον κατά γε τὸ ὁρώμενον καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ νοούμενον. Τούτοις καταλλήλως καὶ δύο ἐπιλάμπουσιν ἥλιοι, αἰσθητὸς οὗτος καὶ νοητὸς ἄλλος· ⁽⁵⁾ καὶ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐν τοῖς ὁρωμένοις καὶ αἰσθητοῖς ἥλιος, τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς ἀοράτοις καὶ νοητοῖς Θεός, ἥλιος γὰρ τῆς δικαιοσύνης  καὶ ἔστι καὶ λέγεται. Ἰδοὺ γοῦν δύο κατὰ ταῦτα ἥλιοι, εἷς αἰσθητὸς καὶ εἷς νοητός, ὥσπερ καὶ δύο κόσμοι, καθὼς εἴρηται· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἷς τῶν δύο, ἤγουν ὁ αἰσθητὸς ⁽¹⁰⁾ κόσμος καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ πάντα, ὑπὸ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ τούτου καὶ ὁρωμένου ἡλίου φωτίζονται· ὁ δὲ ἕτερος, ἤτοι ὁ νοητὸς καὶ οἱ ἐν αὐτῷ, ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης καταλάμπονται καὶ φαιδρύνονται. Τά τε οὖν αἰσθητὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ, τά τε νοητὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου διῃρημένως ⁽¹⁵⁾ ἀλλήλων καταφωτίζονται, μηδεμίαν ἐχόντων πρὸς ἄλληλα ἕνωσιν ἢ γνῶσιν ἢ κοινωνίαν τὸ σύνολον, μήτε τῶν νοητῶν πρὸς τὰ αἰσθητά, μήτε τῶν αἰσθητῶν πρὸς τὰ νοητά.

2.23. Unique among all visible and intelligible things, man has been made two-fold by God. He has a body formed of the four elements with sensibility and breath and by these he communicates with the elements and lives within them. He also has a soul [ endowed] with an immaterial, incorporeal rationality which is united with them in an inexpressible and indetectable way, and blended [with them] without mixture or confusion. This is what constitutes an individual man, an animal who is mortal and immortal, visible yet invisible, sensible and intelligible, and capable of seeing visible creation as well as of comprehending the intelligible. And just as the two suns each reserve their energies for their own worlds, so it follows that in the one human nature the first illumines the body and the other the soul. But each of the suns communicates its own light to the one it illumines by participation, either abundantly or poorly, depending on our receptivity.

23. κγʹ Μόνος ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων καὶ νοουμένων ἁπάντων ὁ ἄνθρωπος διπλοῦς ἐκτίσθη παρὰ Θεοῦ, σῶμα μὲν ἔχων ἐκ τεσσάρων συνεστηκὸς στοιχείων, αἴσθησίν τε καὶ πνοὴν δι’ ὧν τούτων τῶν στοιχείων μετέχει καὶ ζῇ ἐν αὐτοῖς, ψυχὴν δὲ νοερὰν καὶ ἄϋλον καὶ ἀσώματον ἀρρήτως ἐν τούτοις ⁽⁵⁾ καὶ ἀνεξιχνιάστως συνηνωμένην καὶ συγκεκραμένην ἀμίκτως καὶ ἀσυγχύτως. Ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος εἷς, ζῷον θνητὸν καὶ ἀθάνατον, ὁρατὸν καὶ ἀόρατον, αἰσθητὸν καὶ νοούμενον, ἐποπτικὸν τῆς ὁρωμένης κτίσεως, γνωστικὸν τῆς νοουμένης. Ὥσπερ γοῦν ἐν τοῖς δυσὶ κόσμοις οἱ δύο ⁽¹⁰⁾ ταῖς ἐνεργείαις διαμερίζονται ἥλιοι, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ ἀνθρώπῳ· ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ σῶμα, ὁ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ περιλάμπει, καὶ τοῦ οἰκείου φωτὸς τῆς μεθέξεως ἕκαστος τὸ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐλλαμπόμενον κατὰ τὴν δεκτικὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἢ πλουσίως ἢ ἐνδεῶς μεταδίδωσιν. ⁽¹⁵⁾

2.24. The sensible sun is seen but does not see. The intelligible sun is seen by all those who are worthy, and also sees all men, but especially those who see it. The sensible sun neither speaks nor bestows the power of speech on others. The intelligible sun speaks with its friends and graces them all with speech. The sensible sun shines on our gardens, but merely evaporates the moisture from the soil by the heat of its rays; It is not this which feeds the plants and the seeds. But the intelligible [ sun 1 reveals itself to the soul and does both things: it evaporates the moisture of the passions and cleans their corruption from them, and then it brings fertility to the land of the soul’ where little by little the plants of the virtues are fostered and watered.

24. κδʹ Ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος θεωρεῖται, οὐ θεωρεῖ· ὁ νοητὸς καὶ θεωρεῖται παρὰ τῶν ἀξίων καὶ πάντας ὁρᾷ καὶ μᾶλλον τοὺς ὁρῶντας αὐτόν. Ὁ αἰσθητὸς οὐ λαλεῖ οὐδὲ λαλεῖν τινι δίδωσιν· ὁ νοητὸς καὶ λαλεῖ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ φίλοις καὶ λαλεῖν τοῖς πᾶσι χαρίζεται. Ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἐν τῷ ⁽⁵⁾ αἰσθητῷ κήπῳ λάμψας, τῇ θερμότητι τῶν ἀκτίνων τὸ ὑγρὸν  μόνον ἀποξηραίνει τῆς γῆς, οὐ μέντοι γε καὶ πιαίνει τὰ φυτὰ καὶ τὰ σπέρματα· ὁ νοητὸς δὲ τὰ ἀμφότερα ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἐπιφανεὶς κατεργάζεται, τὴν ὑγρότητα ξηραίνει τὴν τῶν παθῶν καὶ τὴν βδελυγμίαν τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκαθαίρει ⁽¹⁰⁾ καὶ πιότητα τῇ νοερᾷ ἐμπαρέχει γῇ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἐξ ἧς ἀρδευόμενα τρέφονται κατ’ ὀλίγον τῶν ἀρετῶν τὰ φυτά.

2.25. The sensible sun rises to shine on the world of sense and all it contains: men, wild beasts, flocks, or any other creature. On all of these it sheds its light equally, but then it goes down and again leaves in darkness the place where once it shone. The intelligible [ sun’ shines eternally, and was shining, complete in all complete reality, yet not contained by it. It is separate and distinct from its creatures, yet not separated from them. It is complete in all places, yet no-where, and complete in all visible creatures yet completely outside them. It is complete in the visible and complete in the invisible. It is completely present everywhere, yet never completely in any place.

25. κεʹ Ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος ἀνατέλλει καὶ φωτίζει τὸν κόσμον τὸν αἰσθητὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀνθρώπους, θηρία, κτήνη καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερον, ἐφ’ οἷς ἐπίσης καὶ τὸ φῶς ὑφαπλοῖ, δύνει δὲ πάλιν καὶ σκοτεινὸν καταλιμπάνει τὸν τόπον ὅνπερ κατέλαμπεν. Ὁ νοητὸς λάμπει ἀεὶ καὶ ἔλαμπεν, ⁽⁵⁾ ὅλος ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ παντὶ ἀχωρήτως χωρούμενος, ἐκ δὲ τῶν ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ κτισθέντων ἀποκεχώρισται καὶ ὅλος τούτων ἀδιαστάτως διΐσταται, ἐν ὅλῳ ὅλος ὢν τῷ παντὶ καὶ οὐδαμοῦ, ἐν ὅλοις ὅλος τοῖς ὁρωμένοις κτίσμασι καὶ ὅλος τούτων ἐκτός, ὅλος ἐν τοῖς ὁρωμένοις καὶ ὅλος ἐν τοῖς ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἀοράτοις, καὶ πανταχοῦ ὅλος πάρεστι καὶ ὅλος οὐδαμῶς οὐδαμοῦ.