I haven't posted any Eckhart for a bit:

Eckhart is glossing 1 Cor 11:4, in which Paul says that women should cover their heads in church, but menshould uncover them.

Und darumbe: allez, daz sich der sêle niderkêret, daz nimet des selben, in daz ez sich kêret, ein decke, ein houbet-touch; daz sich aber ûftreget der sêle, daz ist blôz gotes bilde, gotes geburt, unbedecket blôz in blôzer sêle. Von dem edeln menschen, wie gotes bilde, gotes sun, sâme götlicher natûre in uns niemer vertilget wirt, aleine er bedecket werde, sprichet künic Davit in dem salter: aleine valle in den menschen manigerleie îtelkeit, lîden und jâmerkeit, nochdenne blîber er in dem bilde gotes und daz bilde in im. Daz gewære lieht liuhtet in der vinsternisse, aleine man des niht gewar enwerde.

And therefore, everything in the soul which turns downwards (i.e. away from God), receives a cloth or headscarf from what it turns to. But what bears the soul up, that is the naked image of God, the birth of God, uncovered and naked in the naked soul. This noble person, which is God's image, God's son, the seed of divine nature is never destroyed in us, though it is covered/ obscured is spoken of by King David in the Psalter: although man* fall into many vanities, suffering and sorrowing pain, he remains in the image of God and the image remains in him. The true light shines in the darkness, even if no one notices it.


* Actually the German is 'mensch', human, but I can't think of a non-gendered way to translate that keeps the ambiguity between individual and humanity.

(no subject)

I can haz haggis!

Also, I spent the Waterstones gift card my aunt gave me on (a) The Yiddish Policeman's Union, (b) the sequel to Larklight and, c, rj_anderson's Knife. Which I am half way through already, as it is doing a worryingly good job of sabotaging my work ethic.

Twitter-witter!

( Beware the ramblings! )