S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 4 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 8 5 Hanneke Arts-Honselaar 3 Letter XVII 1–15 1–15 Be generous and zealous for every virtue, But do not apply yourself to any one virtue. Fail not with regard to a multitude of things, But perform no particular work. Have good will and compassion for every need, But take nothing under your protection. This I wished long since to tell you, For it lies heavy on my heart; May God give you to understand what I mean, Solely in the one nature of Love. The things I order you in these verses were ordered me by God. Therefore, I desire in my turn to order you the same things, because they belong perfectly to the perfection of Love, and because they belong perfectly and wholly in the Divinity. Te alre doghet wes onstich snel; En onderwinter di niet el. En ghebrect in ghenen dinghen, En werct te ghenen sonderlinghen. Te alre noet hebbet onste ende ontfermen, Ende en nemt niet in v beschermen. Dit haddic di gherne langhe gheseghet; Want mi wel groet op therte leghet. God doe v kennen wat ic mene, Jnder enegher Minnen naturen allene. Dese dinghen waren mi van gode verboden, die ic v in desen worden verbiede. Daer omme beghericse v voert te verbiedene, om dat si volmaecteleec ter volcomenheit van Minnen behoren, Ende omme datse inder godheit volcomeleke ende gheheeleke behoren. 16–23 16–23 The attributes I mentioned here are perfectly the divine Nature. For to be generous and zealous is the Nature of the Holy Spirit; this is what is his proper Person. And not to apply oneself to a particular work is the Nature of the Father; through this he is the one Father. This “pouring out” and keeping back are the pure Divinity and the entire Nature of Love. Die wesene die ic daer noeme, die sijn volcomeleke hare nature: Want gheonstech ende snel, dat es de nature vanden heileghen gheest; Daer met es hi proper persoen. Ende niet sonderlinghe te onderwindene, dat es die nature vanden vader; daer met es hi enich vader. Dit vte gheuen ende dit op houden: dit es pure godheit ende gheheele nature van Minnen. 24–43 24–43 Fail not with regard to a multitude of things, but perform no particular work. The first of these verses expresses the power of the Father, whereby he is God almighty. The second verse expresses his just will, with which his justice works its unknown mighty works. These works are deep and dark, unknown and hidden for all who, as I said, are below this Unity of the Godhead but nevertheless render service (and, indeed, chivalrously) to each of the Three Persons, according to the verses I placed first in each Couplet: To be favorable and zealous for every virtue, And not to fail with regard to a multitude of things, And to have compassionate good will for every need. This seems indeed to be the most perfect life one can attain on Earth. And you have heard this continually, for I always recommend it above all; and I also experienced it above all and rendered service accordingly and worked chivalrously until the day it was forbidden me. Ende ghebrect te ghenen dinghen Ende en werct gheen sonderlinghe. Dat eerst woert es die cracht des vader, daer hi al mogende god met es. Dat ander waert es sijn gherechte willen, daer sine gherechticheit hare onbekinde moghende werke met werct, Die diep ende doncker sijn ende onbekint ende verborghen al den ghenen die beneden deser gheenechtheit vander godheit sijn, Aldus alse ic segghe, ende die nochtan den personen properleke dienen ende ouerscone, Alsoe na die eerste waerde, die ic seide: Te alre doghet onstich ende snel te sine ende in ghenen dinghen te ghebrekene ende te alre noet ontfermeleke onste te hebbene: Dit schijnt nochtan dat volmaecste leuen datmen hebben mach op ertrike. Ende dit hoerdi altoes dat ict altoes gheraden hebbe bouen al; Ende oec leuede ict bouen al, ende diende daer inne ende wrachte ouerscone tote dien daghe dat mi verboden wart.
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