VISIO QUARTA, cap. II
God's Ordering of Higher and Lower Things
God established the higher things to strengthen, cleanse, and bring the lower things into the salvation of the soul.
God, who created all things, established the higher things in such a way that through them he might also strengthen and cleanse the lower things, and bring them, assigned in human form, into the salvation of the soul as well.
The Equal Thickness of Firmament and Earth
The firmament and the earth are of equal thickness, with corresponding expanses of air above, below, south, and north.
For you see that the firmament, with all things clinging to it, has so great a thickness from top to top above the earth as the earth has from top to top; because, O man, just as it is shown and said to you, the firmament and the earth are of equal thickness, and as great as the emptiness of air above the earth is toward the upper obstacles, so great too is the emptiness of air beneath the earth toward the lower obstacles, and as great toward the south and toward the north between the earth and the firmament's obstacles set opposite in that same place is the emptiness of air.1
The Inner Spirit's Heavenly and Earthly Powers
The inner spirit of man manifests its powers as much in heavenly things as in earthly things, just as the body moves by its strength.
This signifies that the inner spirit of man manifests its powers as much in heavenly things as in earthly things, just as the body of man strives to move about by its strength in the same ways.
The Reward of Soul and Body in Righteousness
Where soul and body agree in righteousness, heavenly rewards are obtained in one joy.
Where soul and body agree with each other in righteousness, heavenly rewards are obtained in one joy.
The Firmament as a Picture of Inner Vengeance
The firmament was arranged with fire, aether, waters, stars, and winds, and from it scales fall like sparks, harming the earth and its inhabitants, picturing the vengeance that comes from within.
Likewise, the firmament was arranged by the Creator to suit every capacity — fire, aether, waters, stars, and winds — and from it scales are formed, falling like sparks from the bright fire of the upper circle, harming both the earth and its inhabitants, and through this a picture is given of the vengeance that comes from within.
Read the original Latin
Deus, qui omnia creavit, superiora ita constituit ut per illa etiam subteriora confirmet et mundet, et in forma hominis illa assignata ad salutem quoque animae introducat. Nam vides firmamentum cum omnibus sibi adhaerentibus tantam spissitudinem a summo usque ad summum supra terram habere, quantam terra a summo usque ad summum habet; quia, o homo, quemadmodum tibi ostenditur, et dicitur, firmamentum et terra aequalis spissitudinis sunt, et quanta vacuitas aeris supra terram ad superiora obstacula est, tanta quoque vacuitas aeris sub terra ad inferiora obstacula consistit, tantaque versus austrum versusque septentrionem inter terram et ibidem opposita obstacula firmamenti vacuitas aeris est. Quod designat, quia interior spiritus hominis vires suas tam in coelestibus quam in terrenis ita manifestat, prout corpus hominis fortitudine sua in eisdem modis versari contendit. Ubi enim anima et corpus in rectitudine sibi consentiunt, superna praemia in gaudio uno adipiscuntur.
Item de firmamento a Conditore ad quaslibet habilitates igne, aethere, aquis, stellis, ventis congrue disposito, et unde creentur squamae a lucido igne superioris circuli in modum favillarum decidentes, et tam terram quam ejus incolas laedentes, et quid per hoc interioris ultionis demonstretur.
Notes
- 1 ↩The cosmological language of 'obstacles' (obstacula) and 'emptiness of air' (vacuitas aeris) reflects a medieval visionary framework; the precise physical referent is uncertain.
Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works) companion
Don't stop at Day 30
All 317 chapters live in the free Chosen Portion app, paced for daily reading
Hildegard's practice of daily attention to God's work in creation becomes a paced daily devotional through all ten visions in the Chosen Portion app
- One vision passage a day, readable in under 10 minutes
- The complete Book of Divine Works plus Hildegard's other major works, free
- Progress tracking so a 317-chapter classic actually gets finished