Prooemium visionis (Pars 2)

Prooemium visionis (Pars 2)

Regarding the man who looked toward the west and the north, he was a notable man who gazed toward the west. And behold, on each side it had one wing, which was also raised, and there was another wing on its back, and on its chest, there was a wing raised as if to fly, which was on its back, at the extremity of its body, fully extended to the front, and not to the right wing. But the tip of its extremity was divided into two parts somewhat, so that one part curved toward the left wing and the other part curved toward the right wing. And in the middle of each wing, there was a left wing, which had two pages, one of which was green and the other of silver color. And on the green page was written: 'Noah entered the ark, as the Lord commanded him.'^✦ Who is it that can bring this Lord to completion? In water, He began to rebuild man, but later He made him to be born again in water. On a silver page, it was written: "God wrote the Law on a stone tablet, because there was no softness in human nature to receive divine reason." Later, it was written in softness as if in a fleshly heart. In the book of the right wing, there were also two pages, one of sapphire color and one of golden color. And on the page of sapphire color, it was written: "The Word came down to Jacob, and fell upon Israel." On a page of golden color, it was written: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. In the beginning, the Word of God created all things, and afterward, it reclined in its own creation."^✦ But he, who was in the back of that same man, is likened to a marble and unblemished stone of white color, and the finger of God had inscribed in him: 'He prophesied to men through vision, wisdom, and knowledge.' The root by which God made man rise from the dust was also inspired by the Spirit of God, bringing it to life. These are the wonders of Divinity, which, by foreseeing, writing, and striking the harp, are accomplished. With the wings of prophecy cherubim, God acts among men. He had within him many compiled scriptures, gathered from the depths of the writings, which philosophers and wise men had abstracted from those books, and with them they prepared paths of justice against the Oppressor and the North Wind, just as someone does who draws water from a well, not ceasing until his vessel is filled, just as God created all creatures in the beginning, nor did He cease until He completely fulfilled His work. But the bright cloud, in which the same man was from his shoulders to his thighs, was full of the souls of the just. And in that cloud, I heard what seemed like a voice of thunder gently rumbling: "Give praise to the King who rules all, and glory to the living God." Then all these souls lifted themselves up in the course of life, moving forward and not turning back, just like the wheels of life went on in the spirit, going and not returning. But in that same cloud, in a more secret place, other souls of the hidden saints were concealed like in a very clear mirror, adorned with every kind of the most precious stones and every kind of beauty. They were also playing on trumpets and striking the lyres in every kind of music, resonating according to the sound of the sea and the many waters. And they said, "How long will we endure, and when will the time come when our works, which are in the street, which are before the face of God, will appear, so that our tabernacles may be returned to us before God, that we may see His face without the veil of Moses?" And a divine response was given to them: "This will not happen until the four winds have clashed with one another, and they have burned together, and until the head of the ancient Serpent is completely crushed, and nothing more can happen, and until the sun gathers all its birds with the lion." And the souls of the just knew and heard those hidden saints of God, and they saw them as through a clear mirror, and they longed for the responses given to them, while they were waiting with them. *? , while the lion emits all its roar, and while every schism in the world is diminished. And behold, in that mentioned cloud, where various kinds of vices were, as I had seen before, now I saw eight vices in their own images in this way. I saw a certain image, like a serpent, lying supine in the aforementioned darkness, whose eyes burned like fire, and whose tongue was extended from its mouth, and whose tail was cut off. But his body was of a black color, and pale and poisonous lines descended from his head downwards in length. But his belly was opened, in which the image of a man appeared, lying supine as if in a cradle, with a cap on his head like a helmet, somewhat raised higher, and with white locks descending to his shoulders under the same cap. She was also dressed in a fine, white silk garment, and she wore a cloak that resembled the color of the same serpent. The words of gluttony. The same image said, God created everything, so why should I falter in them? If God didn't know what was necessary, He wouldn't have created it. I would be foolish if I didn't have my own will in these matters, since God wants the flesh of man not to fail.