Middle High German · AI translation
Anegenge
English for the 2 passages of this work that the Atlas of Ancient Myth, Magic in the Ancient Texts and a study of demons and angels quote or cite, and which the library holds in no published English. The numbers are the edition's own references.
233–278
daz si in loben solten·
so that they should praise him;
des si doch niht enwolten·
but this would not
Lucifern dunken genuoc·
seem enough to Lucifer,
unz er sich hôher huop·
until he raised himself higher
denne er von rehte solte·
than he rightly should;
sînen stuol er setzen wolte·
he wanted to set his throne
eneben sînem hêrren·
beside his Lord.
des entgulte er an sînen êren·
For that he paid with his honour,
und was daz vile billich·
and that was very just,
dô er niht lie genüegen sich·
since he did not let it suffice him
daz er got als geleich was.
that he was as like God
als dem insigele daz wahs·
as the wax is to the seal,
daz umbe daz· dâr an gedruht wirdet·
which is pressed against it for this purpose:
daz ez im gelîchez bilede biret·
that it may bear an image like it.
des mohte im wole genüeget hân·
That might well have sufficed him.
er dunke sich sô wole getân·
He seemed to himself so fair
dô er sich selben ane sach·
when he looked at himself
insînem willen er dô sprach·
that in his will he then said
er wolte dem oberesten sîn gelîch·
he would be equal to the Most High.
daz was iedoch vile tiuvellich·
That was indeed most devilish,
wan er wole wesse daz·
for he knew well
daz got sô gewaltic was·
that God was so mighty
daz er in des wole wider bræhte·
that he could well turn him back from it;
dô tet erez in der anedæhte·
yet he did it with this intent:
swie ez im ergienge·
however it might go for him,
oder swie erez anevange·
or however he might begin it,
er wolte doch iemer wider gote sîn·
he would still forever be against God.
waz solte sancte Augustin·
What then should Saint Augustine
denne meinen dâ mite·
mean by it?
er sprichet daz er sô lange niht enbîte·
He says that he did not wait so long
mit sîner übermüete.
with his arrogance
daz er der gotesgüete·
that of God's goodness he
ie· gesmahte dechein teil·
ever tasted any part.
sîn gedanc gebar im unheil·
His thought bore him misfortune:
bî daz er vol geschaffen wart·
as soon as he was fully created,
dô warf in diu hôchvart·
pride cast him
indaz apgründe·
into the abyss,
in· und alle die im der sünde.
him and all who in the sin
wolten gehellen und bî gestân·
would join with him and stand by him;
die muosen vallen von danne·
they had to fall from there
inden êwigen tôt·
into eternal death,
dâ si angest und nôt·
where they have anguish and distress
und viurînez gebende·
and fiery bonds
habent iemer âne ende·
forever without end.
durch sô getâne sünde·
Because of such sin
hât daz apgründe·
has the abyss
Translator's note. Lines 234-235 are loosely built; taken as 'this would not seem enough to Lucifer'. gesmahte (265) is taken as 'tasted'.
979–1060
unser vater Adâm·
our father Adam.
daz wirdet uns hier ûf getân·
That will be made plain to us here.
dô die engel got verliezen·
When the angels forsook God
und sich selben verstiezen·
and cast themselves out
der micheln êren·
of the great honour
dâ si zuo geschaffen wâren·
for which they had been created,
dô stüende der zehende kôre lære·
then the tenth choir would stand empty
unserm schepfære·
for our Creator.
daz erbarmete·
That moved to pity
und die gotesgüete·
the goodness of God as well,
diu in sît von himel treip·
which afterwards drove him from heaven;
sô manet in des sîn wîsheit·
so his wisdom reminded him of this:
er hête vile wole vore besehen·
he had very well foreseen
daz den engeln geschehen·
what would happen to the angels,
sûmlîchen wære·
to some of them.
in bat sîn güete daz er iht lære·
His goodness bade him not leave empty
den kôr lieze durch ire missetât·
the choir because of their misdeed;
im gap sîn wîsheit den rât·
his wisdom gave him the counsel,
diu allez dinc rihten sol·
which is to govern all things,
ob er der engel val·
that if he wished the angels' fall
wole wolte ersetzen·
to make good completely,
er solte im selbe einen sun schepfen·
he should create himself a son,
vrîn sînes muotes.
free in his will,
der des selben guotes·
who of that same good
mit dieneste ûf der erden·
by service on earth
wirdic solte werden·
should become worthy
êr· er den stuol besæze·
before he occupied the seat;
ob er gotes vergæze.
if he forgot God
zedem tiuvel gevienge·
and went over to the devil,
daz· daz sô ringe ergienge·
that this would come off so lightly
daz der kôre lære·
that the choir, empty,
bestüende niemer mêre·
would never more remain
durch decheiner slahte dinc·
for any kind of reason,
swenne ez alliu sîniu kint·
whenever he kept all his children
hier vile wole bewarte.
very well here,
daz er siu denne vuorte·
so that he then led them
ander engel stat·
into the angels' place.
sîn güete in des bat·
His goodness asked him this:
daz er imdaz paradîse·
that he give him paradise
gæbe ze einem hûse·
as a home
und lieze in dâr inne.
and leave him within it
daz dienest sô ringe.
the service so light
daz er sô samfte tæte·
that he might do it so easily;
nihtes er in bæte·
he would ask nothing of him
wan daz er wære gehôrsam·
except that he be obedient.
hête got des niht getân·
Had God not done this,
sô hête er den oberesten kôre·
he would have, for the highest choir,
geminneret sîn êre·
diminished its honour,
diu dem niderestem was getân·
which was given to the lowest,
ob er geschaffen wolte hân·
if he had wished to create
mennischlich geslehte·
humankind
daz ez gevallen niene mahte·
such that it could never fall.
er hête in sînes schaden wole ergetzet·
He would well have made good his loss to him,
wan er was besetzet·
for it was occupied
mit vrîn bûwæren·
with free dwellers
êr· er gestüende lære·
before it stood empty.
wie mügen wir daz gearnet haben·
How can we have earned
daz wir sô hôch wæren komen·
that we should have come so high
daz der zehende kôre·
that the tenth choir,
der obereste wære·
which was the highest,
uns zeheimuote gegeben·
is given to us as a homeland,
daz wir dâ solten iemer leben·
that we should live there forever
den engeln gelîche·
like the angels,
die dâ vile vrîlîche·
who there quite freely
hêten ire selber küre·
had their own choice,
und in dâ niht salten vüre·
and nothing was handed to them there beforehand
si enwolten gotes willen tuon·
unless they would do God's will?
umbe daz gap er uns den vrîtuom·
For that reason he gave us freedom:
ob wir sam tæten·
if we did the same,
daz wir gelîchez reht hæten·
we should have equal right
ze sînem rîche·
to his kingdom.
er hête ouch wærlîche·
He would also truly
wider die engel getân·
have wronged the angels
die im dankes wolten bestân·
who of their own will chose to stand by him.
nû hât erez alle bewart·
Now he has provided for it all,
daz ir mit ire volleist vart·
so that you, with their help, go
inden oberesten kôr·
into the highest choir;
daz sancte Pêter dâr in vuor·
that Saint Peter went in there
daz endûhte sancte Michael niht unbillich·
did not seem unjust to Saint Michael,
wan ire zweier arbeit wâren ungelîch·
for the toils of the two were unequal.
dô der genædige got·
When the merciful God
alsô bedâhte sîn lop
had thus provided for his praise
Translator's note. 'salten vüre' (1044) is obscure; taken as 'handed over beforehand'. Who 'him' is at 989 and 1012-1014, and in 1031, is uncertain.
The whole original: ReM 2.1 at Zenodo (open M012).