The foure and twenty chapitre. What charité is in itself, and how it is sotely and parfitely contened in the werk of this book.
Charity Hidden in the Work
The author explains that all virtues, especially charity, are perfectly contained in the blind stirring of love directed toward God alone, and that this work is a naked intent for God Himself, above all creatures.
And just as it's said of meekness — how it's subtly and perfectly contained in this little blind stirring of love when that love is beating on this dark cloud of unknowing, with all other things put down and forgotten — so it is to be understood of all the other virtues, and especially of charity.12 For charity, as you understand it, means nothing other than loving God for His own sake above all other creatures, and loving your neighbor for God's sake as much as yourself.3 And it seems quite clear that in this work God is loved for Himself and above all creatures. For, as was said before, the substance of this work is nothing else but a naked intent directed to God for Himself.4 I call it a naked intent, because in this work a perfect apprentice asks neither for relief from pain, nor for increase of reward, nor, in short, anything but God Himself—so much so that he does not care or even consider whether he is in pain or bliss, except that the will of the One he loves is fulfilled. And so it seems that in this work God is perfectly loved for Himself, and that above all creatures. For in this work a perfect worker cannot allow even the thought of the holiest creature God ever made to share his mind with him.5
Love for Neighbor Fulfilled
The author shows that the same work also perfectly fulfills the second branch of charity—love for neighbor—by transcending all distinctions of kin, stranger, friend, or foe.
And it seems, from the evidence, that in this work the second and lower branch of charity toward your fellow Christian is truly and perfectly fulfilled. For in this work a perfect worker has no special regard for any person in particular, whether that person is kin or stranger, friend or foe. For all people seem to him equally close as kin, and no one a stranger. All people seem to him to be his friends, and none his foes — so much so that all those who torment him and cause him distress in this life seem to him his true and special friends, and he feels stirred to wish them as much good as he would wish for the dearest friend he has.
Read the original Middle English
And as it is seyde of meeknes, how that it is sotely and parfitely comprehendid in this lityl blynde love put, when it is betyng upon this derke cloude of unknowyng, alle other thinges put down and forgeten: so it is to understonden of alle other vertewes, and namely of charité.
For charité is not ellis to bemene to thin understondyng bot love of God for Himself aboven alle creatures, and of man for God even with thiself. And that in this werke God is lovyd for Hymself and aboven alle creatures it semith ryght wel. For, as it is seide before, that the substaunce of this werke is not elles bot a nakid entente directe unto God for Himself. A nakid entente I clepe it, for whi in this werke a parfite prentis askith neither relesing of peyne, ne encresing of mede, ne (schortly to sey) nought bot Himself; insomoche that nouther he rechith ne lokith after whether that he be in peyne or in blisse, elles that His wille be fulfyllyd that he loveth. And thus it semith that in this werke God is parfitely loved for Hymself, and that aboven alle creatures. For in this werke a parfite worcher may not suffre the mynde of the holiest creature that ever God maad comoun with hym.
And that in this the secound and the lower braunche of charité unto thine even Cristen is verrely and parfitely fulfillid, it semith by the profe. For whi in this werke a parfite worcher hath no special beholdyng unto any man by himself, whether that he be sib or fremmyd, freende or fo. For alle men think hym iliche sib unto hym, and no man fremmid. Alle men him think ben his freendes, and none his foen; insomochel that hym think alle thoo that pynen him, and done hym dissese in this liif, thei ben his ful and his specyal freendes, and hym thinketh that he is sterid to wilne hem as moche good as he wolde to the homliest freende that he hath.
Notes
- 1 ↩Middle English "love put" is the Cloud's technical term for a cast or impulse of loving attention thrust toward God.
- 2 ↩Rendered as charity for the theological virtue; the next section defines it as love of God for God's sake and of neighbor for God.
- 3 ↩Middle English charité names the theological virtue; rendered as charity here in its defining sense, with love for the act it consists in.
- 4 ↩nakid entente kept as naked intent, the Cloud's technical term for bare, undivided willing toward God alone.
- 5 ↩may not suffre ... comoun with hym: cannot endure/allow that creature-thought to be present alongside him in the work; rendered as sharing his mind.
The Cloud of Unknowing companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent