The fifthe chapitre. That in the tyme of this werk alle the cretures that ever have ben, ben now, or ever schal be, and alle the werkes of thoo same creatures, scholen be hid under the clowde of forgetyng.
The Cloud of Forgetting
The author instructs that a cloud of forgetting must be placed beneath the cloud of unknowing, covering all creatures and their works without exception.
If you ever reach this cloud and dwell and work in it as I’ve instructed, you must—just as this cloud of unknowing is above you, between you and your God—place a cloud of forgetting beneath you, between you and all created things. It might seem to you that you’re very far from God because this cloud of unknowing stands between you and Him; but, if you understand it correctly, you’re actually much farther from Him when you don’t have a cloud of forgetting between you and all created things. Whenever I say "all created things," I mean not only the creatures themselves, but also all the works and conditions of those creatures.1 I make no exception for any creature, whether bodily or spiritual, nor for any condition or work of any creature, whether good or evil; in short, everything must be hidden under the cloud of forgetting in this case.
The Danger of Creaturely Thoughts
Considering any creature or its works creates a spiritual light that distances the soul from God, proving unhelpful in this contemplative work.
For though it is sometimes very profitable to think of certain qualities and deeds of some particular creatures, still, in this work, it helps little or not at all. Because thinking about any creature God ever made, or any of their deeds, is a kind of spiritual light; for the eye of your soul is opened and fixed squarely on it, just as a shooter's eye is fixed on the target.2 And I'll tell you one thing: everything you think about is, for that time, above you and between you and your God. And you are that much farther from God the more anything is in your mind except God alone.3
Loving God for Himself
Even thoughts of God's kindness or the saints are to be set aside; it is far better to focus on God's naked being and love Him for His own sake.
Yes—and if it's courteous and fitting to say so—in this work it helps little or nothing to think of God's kindness or worthiness, or of our Lady, or of the saints or angels in heaven, or even of the joys of heaven: that is, with a special gaze fixed on them, as if by that gazing you'd feed and strengthen your purpose. I believe that in no way should it be so in this case and in this work. For even though it's good to think about God's kindness, and to love Him and praise Him for those kindnesses, it's still far better to think about His naked being, and to love Him and praise Him for Himself.4
Read the original Middle English
And yif ever thou schalt come to this cloude, and wone and worche therin as I bid thee, thee byhoveth, as this cloude of unknowyng is aboven thee, bitwix thee and thi God, right so put a cloude of forgetyng bineth thee, bitwix thee and alle the cretures that ever ben maad. Thee thinketh, paraventure, that thou arte ful fer from God, forthi that this cloude of unknowing is bitwix thee and thi God; bot sekirly, and it be wel conseyved, thou arte wel ferther fro Hym when thou hast no cloude of forgetyng bitwix thee and alle the creatures that ever ben maad. As ofte as I sey "alle the creatures that ever ben maad," as ofte I mene, not only the self creatures, bot also alle the werkes and the condicions of the same creatures. I oute take not o creature, whether thei ben bodily creatures or goostly, ne yit any condicion or werk of any creature, whether thei be good or ivel; bot schortly to sey, alle schuld be hid under the cloude of forgetyng in this caas.
For thof al it be ful profitable sumtyme to think of certeyne condicions and dedes of sum certein special creatures, nevertheles yit in this werke it profiteth lityl or nought. For why mynde or thinkyng of any creature that ever God maad, or of any of theire dedes outher, it is a maner of goostly light; for the ighe of thi soule is openid on it and even ficchid therapon, as the ighe of a schoter is apon the prik that he schoteth to. And o thing I telle thee, that alle thing that thou thinkest apon it is aboven thee for the tyme, and bitwix thee and thi God. And insomochel thou arte the ferther fro God, that ought is in thi mynde bot only God.
Ye, and yif it be cortesye and semely to sey, in this werk it profiteth litil or noght to think of the kyndenes or the worthines of God, ne on oure Lady, ne on the seintes or aungelles in heven, ne yit on the joies in heven: that is to say, with a special beholding to hem, as thou woldest bi that beholding fede and encrees thi purpos. I trowe that on no wise it schuld be so in this caas and in this werk. For thof al it be good to think apon the kindenes of God, and to love Hym and preise Him for hem: yit it is fer betyr to think apon the nakid beyng of Him, and to love Him and preise Him for Himself.
Notes
- 1 ↩ME "condicions" covers qualities, states, and circumstances of creatures, not only modern "conditions" in a narrow sense.
- 2 ↩goostly light: spiritual/intellective light that occupies the soul's attention, not physical light.
- 3 ↩insomochel ... that: degree construction — the more anything but God alone occupies the mind, the farther one is from God in this work.
- 4 ↩nakid beyng is a Cloud technical term for God considered in Himself apart from attributes, works, or created mediation; rendered as 'naked being' to keep the author's mystical vocabulary.
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