25
A motivo della sua astuzia farà prosperare la frode nelle sue mani; s’inorgoglirà in cuor suo, e in piena pace distruggerà molta gente; insorgerà contro il principe de’ principi, ma sarà infranto, senz’opera di mano.
Daniel 8:25
De Verbo (The Word) # 4
4. IV. The Word is holy, even in its characters and points.
I once had a paper sent me from heaven written in the Hebrew alphabet, but as in the most ancient texts, where the letters, which today are to some extent composed of straight lines, were then curved with serifs pointing upwards. An angel who was with me said that he knew whole meanings simply from the letters, and each letter has its own particular meaning. They knew this from the curves of the lines in each letter, in addition to the subject which they knew separately from the letter as a whole. He then explained to me the meaning of yod (י), aleph (א) and he (ה), the two letters separately and when put together. He said that he, which is in [YHWH], and which was added to the names of Abraham and Sarah [Genesis 17:5, 15] meant what is infinite and eternal. He said that in many places the Word is so written; and when it is read in the Hebrew text by a Jew or a Christian, the meaning of the individual letters is known in the third heaven. For the angels of the third heaven have the Word written in such letters, and they read it letter by letter. They said that in the sense to be drawn from the letters the Word deals only with the Lord. The reason is that the curves in the letters derive from the flow of heaven, which influences especially the angels of the third heaven. Those angels therefore have an innate knowledge of this script, because they are subject to the order of heaven and live altogether in accordance with it. 1
[2] They explained to me also the meaning of Psalm 32:2 in the Word from the letters or syllables alone, and said that their meaning might be summarised as 'the Lord is merciful even to those who do evil'. They went on to say that the vowels there are to denote the sound corresponding to the affection. They could not pronounce the vowels i and e, but for i they pronounce y 2 or eu, for e they say eu. They use the vowels a, o and u, because these vowels give a full sound, but i and e a close sound. Also they do not pronounce some consonants with a hard, but a soft sound, and hard letters such (daleth) and (qoph), 3 etc. have no meaning for them unless pronounced softly. This too is the reason why many hard letters are also used with points inside them, meaning that [they are pronounced with a hard sound, but without a point] they are pronounced with a soft sound. 4 They added that hardness in letters is in use in the spiritual heaven, because those there are in possession of truths, and have understanding by their means. But in the celestial heaven all are in possession of the good of love and consequently of wisdom, and truth allows hardness, but good does not. These facts may establish what is the meaning of the Lord's saying that not a jot or a tittle or a serif will pass away from the Law (Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17); and it is also clear from these facts that the Lord's Divine Providence ensured that all the letters in the Hebrew text of the Word were counted by the Massoretes.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. On the heavenly scripts see further, in nos. 14[4] and 26[3] in this version of this translation. In the printed version see nos. 33, 62. [NCBS Editor's note: This online version of Dr. Chadwick's translation was renumbered to match others on the site, with fewer main sections, and more subsections nested in them.]
The Author uses language appropriate to the alphabetical scripts he knew, but it is clear that he is really describing ideographic scripts similar to Chinese, where each character has a meaning rather than primarily a sound. -Translator
2. As in French u or German. -Translator
3. Probably an error for kaph. -Translator
4. The letters b, g, d, k, p, t seem to be meant, since in Hebrew these are pronounced as spirants except when they have a dot in the middle. The correction is due to B. Rogers. -Translator
Revelation 15
1
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
5
And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6
And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
8
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
