In illo tempore missus est angelus Gabriei a deo. "In that time the angel Gabriel was sent by God. ave gratia plena, dominus tecum. Hail, full of grace, the Lord be with you.”

Luke 1, 26 and 28. Latin quote that Eckhart uses to introduce his sermon and then translates in the following sentence in his exegesis.

dise wort beschribit sente Lucas: 'in der zit wart gesant ein engil Gabriel von Gode'. St. Luke wrote these words: In that time an angel named Gabriel was sent by God. in wilchir zit? In what time? in den seis manden du Johannes Baptista was in siner müder libe. During the six months that John the Baptist was in his mother’s womb. der mich fragite: warumme beiden wir, warumme vasten wir, warumme tun wir alle unse were, warumme sin wir getouft, warumme ist Got mensche worden, daz diz hoiste was? To whom who asks me why do we pray, why do we fast, why do we do all our works, why are we baptized, why did God become man, that this was the highest [act]? ich spreche, darumme daz Got geborin werde in der sele und di sele in Got geborin werde. I say, so that God [may] be born in the soul and the soul [may] be born in God. dar umme ist alle di schrift ge schriben, darumme hait Got di werlint geschaffin und alie englische nature daz Got geborin werde in der sele und di sele in Got geborin werde. To that end the whole scripture was written, to that end God created the world and all angelic natures: that God be born in the soul and the soul in God. allis kornes nature meinet weize und al metal meinet golt und alle geberunge meinet menschen darumme sprach ein Neister: 'so inyindit man kein dier, iz inhabe etwaz glichis dem menschin'. The nature of every grain tends

Middle High German "meinet" in this context implies the notion of directional intention.

to [become] wheat and all metal tends to [become] gold and all birth tends to [become] human. For this reason, a scholar

Translates Middle High German "Meister", which can refer more broadly to a scholarly authority rather than being exclusively reserved for those, like Eckhart, who held a certain professorial position at the University in Paris.

said: “Thus one finds no animal that doesn’t have some similarity to humankind.” in der zit in deme da diz wort zu dem erstin inphangin wirt in minir fornuft, da ist ez so lutir und so cleinlich, da ist ez ein wair wort er ez gebildit wirdit in mime gedanke. At the time at which the word is first received in my reason,

Alternatively, the intellect. Eckhart refers here to the faculty of the soul.

it is so pure and so subtle, then it is a true word before it is formed in my thought. Zu dem drittin wirdit ez gesprochin uzwendic mit deme munde, und also in ist ez nicht dan ein offinbarunge des innerin wortis. Thirdly, it is spoken externally with the mouth and as such it is nothing more than a revelation of the inner word. also wirdit daz ewige wort gesprochin innewendic in deme herzin der sele, in derne innirsten, in deme lutirsten. In the same way, the eternal word is spoken inwardly in the heart of the soul, in the innermost part and in the purest. in dene heubite der sele, daz ist in vormuftikeit: da geschihit di gebort inne. In the head of the soul, that is, in reason: there the birth takes place. der nicht dan einen ganzin won und eine hoffenunge hizu hette, der mochte gerne wizzin wi dise gebort geschihit und waz hi zu hilfit. He who has had nothing but the whole pleasure and hope might like to know how this birth happens and what assists it.

Sente Paulus sprichit: "in der udlide der zit samte Got sinen son". St. Paul says: “in the fullness of time God sent [forth] his son.” sente Augustinus sprichit waz da si fullide der zit. St. Augustine explains what the fullness of time might be. “da numme zit inist, da ist fullide der zit' dan ist der tac fol alse des tages numme in ist, daz ist ein notwarheit. “Where there is no more time, there is the fullness of time.” Then the day is done when there is no more day. This is necessarily true. alle zit muiz da abe sin da sich dise gebort hebit, wan nicht in ist daz dise geburt also sere hindere alse zit und creature. All time must be flown when this birth begins, because there is nothing that prevents this birth more than time and creation.

The term creature here refers not to the act of creation, but to its result; all that is created must be abandoned to allow for the birth to take place.

daz ist ein gewis warheit daz zit Got noch di sele fon nature nicht beruren inmac. That is a certain truth that, by nature, time cannot touch either God or the soul. mochte di sele fon zit herurt werdin, si inwere nicht sele, und mochte Got von zit berurt werdin, he in were nicht Got. If the soul could be touched by time it would not be the soul. Could God be touched by time, he would not be God. were abir daz di zit di sele beraren mochte, so inmochte Got nummir in ir geborin werdin. Yet were it so that time could touch the soul, God could no more be born in it. da Got geboren sal werdin in der sele, da muiz alle zit abgewallin sin oder si muiz der zit intphallin sin mit willin oder mit begerunge. Since God shall be born in the soul, all time must have fallen away or the soul must have fallen out of time by will or by desire.

Ein andir sin fon fullide der zit, der di kunst hette und di macht daz he di zit und allis daz in der zit in seis tusint jarin ie geschach und daz noch geschehin sal biz an daz ende, her widir gezihen kunde in ein geginwertic nu, daz were fullide der zit. A second meaning of the fullness of time. Were there someone who had the skill and the power that he could retract into the here-and-now once again time and everything that ever happened in time in six thousand years and that is yet to happen before the end of time, that [state] would be the fullness of time. daz ist daz nu der ewekeit, da di sele in Gode alle dinc nuwe und frisch und geginwertic bekennit und in der lust alse di ich izunt geginwertic habe. That is the now of eternity, in which the soul recognizes all things new and fresh and present in God and in the pleasure that I am having in the here and now. ich lais in einem buchilin der ez gronde konde, daz Got die werlint izunt machit alse an deme ersten tage du her di werlint geschuf. I read in a little book, --who could fathom that-- that God makes the world in this moment as on the first day when he created the world. hi ist Got riche und daz ist Godis riche. Here God is bountiful and that is God’s kingdom.

The Middle High German wordplay on riche, which Eckhart uses here first as a predicative attribute for God ("powerfulness") and then as a genitive noun, cannot be repeated stylistically in English.

di sele in der Got sal geborin werden, der muiz di zit intphallin, und si muiz der zit intphallin und sal sich uf tragin und sal stein in eime inkaffine in disin richtum Godis. Time must fall away from the soul in which God shall be born, and it [the soul] must fall away from time, and it shall raise itself up and stand gazing into God’s bounty. da ist wide one wide und breide one breide. Here there is wideness without width and broadness without breadth. da bekennit di sele alle dinc und bekennit si da follincumen. Here the soul recognizes all things and recognizes them entirely.

Di meistere di da beschriben wi wit der himmil si: di minniste craft di in miner sele ist, di ist widir dan der wide himmil; ich geswige der fornufti keit: di ist wit one wide. To the scholars who describe how vast the heavens are: the lowest faculty

Middle High German craft refers here to the faculties of the soul.

that is in my soul, it is wider than the wide heavens; I do not speak of reason [the intellect]: that is wide without width. in deme heubite der sele, in fornuftikeit, in der bin ich also nahe der stait ubir tusint mile geinsit meris alse der stait da ich izunt inne stein. In the head of the soul, in reason, there I am as close to a place over a thousand miles across the sea as I am to the place where I am standing now. in dirre wide und in disme richtumme Godis da bekennit di sele, alda inphellit ir nicht und da ist si nichtis wartinde. In this wideness and in this abundance of God, there the soul understands, there nothing falls away from it, and there it is waiting for nothing.

“Der engl wart gesant.” “The angel was sent.” di meistere sprechin daz der engile menige ist zal pobin zal. The scholars say that the multitude of angels is a number above numbers. ir menige ist so groz daz si kein zal begrifen inmac. Their multitude is so great that no number can encompass it. ir zal inmac joch nicht bedocht werdin. Their number cannot even be imagined. der undirscheit konde genemen one zal und one menige, deme werin hunderit alse ein. He who could conceive of difference without number, for him one hundred would be the same as one. werin hunderit personen in der gotheit, di undirscheit konde genemen one zal und one menige, der in bekente doch nicht dan ein. If there were one hundred people in the Godhead, he who could comprehend difference without number would not recognize more than one. ez wonderin sich ungeleubege lude und etlichte ungelarte cristine lude und joch etliche phaffin wizzin da fon alse wenic alse ein stein: di nemen dri alse dri kuwe oder dri steine. Many unbelievers and many unlearned Christians [alike] wonder about this and even a lot of clerics know as little about this as a stone: they think of three as three cows or three stones. abir der undirscheit kan genemen in Gode one zal und one menige, der bekenit daz dri personen sin ein Got. But he who can comprehend difference in God without number and without quantity, he recognizes that three persons are one God.

Der engil ist ouch so hoch. The angel is also lofty in this manner. di beisten meistere sprechin daz iclich engil habe eine ganze nature. The best scholars say that each angel has a nature of its own.

The Middle High German text writes "eine ganze nature", which literally translates as “a whole nature.” What is outlined here, however, is the thought that the angels each have their own singular nature. This theological thought explains why not all angels have been condemned as a punishment for Lucifer’s rebellion against God, while Adam and Eve’s sin resulted in humanity’s collective fall from grace; in contrast to the angels, human individuals do not have a nature of their own.

glichir wis alse ob ein meusche were daz alliz daz hette daz alle menschin ie gehattin und nu habin und ummir me gehabin sullin sn gewalt, wisheit und an allin dingin, daz were ein wonder, und so inwere he doch nicht dan ein mensche und were dan noch verre den engilin. Just as if there were a human who had everything that mankind ever had, now has, and shall always have in power, wisdom and all things, that would be a wonder and even then he would only be human and would still be far from the angels. Also hait igelich engil eine ganze nature und ist gesunderit von deme anderin alse ein dier fon dem anderen, daz einir anderen nature ist. Thus every angel has a complete nature and is distinguished from the other like one animal from another that belongs to a different species. an dirre menige der engile ist Got riche, und der daz bekennit, der beken mit Godis riche. In this multitude of angels God is rich, and he who comprehends that comprehends God’s abundance. si bewisit Got riche, alse ein herre bewisit wirdit fon der menige sinir rittere. It demonstrates that God is abundant, just as a lord is represented by the number of his knights. darumme heizzit he in uns ein herre der here. Therefore he is named amongst us a lord of hosts. alle dise menige der engile, wi hoch si sint, di habin ein midewirken und helfin da zu da Got geborin wirdit in der sele. This whole multitude of angels, however lofty they are, contribute and help so that God may be born in the soul. daz ist si habin lust und freute und wonne in der geburt, si in wirkin nicht. That is, they have pleasure and joy and bliss in the birth, but they don’t effect it. da in ist kein werc, wan Got der wirkit di geburt alleine, mer di engile habin ein dinisthaft werc hizu. There is no agency

The negated term "werc", literally "work, deed, achievement", means here that the angels do not have the power to effect the birth for God is the sole agent.

in it. God alone effects the birth, in sum the angels participate as servants. alliz daz dazu wirkit, daz ist eim dînisthaft werc. Everything that participates, that is an act of service.

Der engil was genant Gabriel. The angel was called Gabriel. he teit ouch swar, he hiz alse wenic Gabriel alse Cünrat. Whatever he claimed, his name was Gabriel as little as he was Conrad. niman inkan wizzin des engilis namen. Nobody can know the name of the angel. da der engil genant ist, da inquam ni meister noch sin i zu. The angel’s name has never been attained by scholar nor understanding. vil lichte ist he nennelich. Perhaps he is nameless. di sele inhait ouch keinen namen; alse wenic aise man Gode eigenen namen vindin mac, also wenic mac man der sele eiginen namen vindin, alleine da groze buche fon geschriben sin. The soul too has no name; just as one cannot discover God’s own name, so one cannot discover the soul’s own name, even if large books have been written on this topic. abir da si ein uz lugin hait zu den werkin, da fone gibit man ir namen. But because it is oriented towards works, one names it according to this. ein zimmirman daz en ist sin name nicht, mer den namen nimet her fon dem werke des he ein meistir ist. A carpenter - that is not his name, the name rather derives from the work of which he is a master. den namen Gabriel den nam he von dem werke des he ein bode was, wan Gabriel sprichit craft. Gabriel took his name from the work for which he was a messenger, as Gabriel signifies power. in dirre geburt wirkit Got creftliche oder wirkit craft. In this birth God acts powerfully or effects power. waz meinit alle di craft der nature? What does all the power of nature intend? daz si sich selbir wirkin wil. It strives to become itself. waz meinit alle di nature di da wirkit geberin? What does all the nature that effects birth intend? daz si sich selbir wikim wil. It strives to become itself. di nature minez vader wolde wirkim in sinir nature einen vadir. The nature of my father wanted to produce a father according to his own nature. du des nicht geschin mochte, du wolde si ein wirkin daz ime allig dingis glich were, du der craft gebrach, du worchte si ein. Because that wasn’t possible, it wanted to bring about the thing that of all things was most similar to him. Because the power was lacking, it effected something So si glichiste mochte, daz waz ein son. as similar as possible, that was a son. da abir der craft noch me gebrichit oder ein andir ungevelle geschit, da wirkit si noch eime unglicheren menschen. But when the power is lacking even more, or another mishap intervenes, then it effects a more dissimilar person. abir in Gode ist volle craft, darumme wirkit her sin glich in siner geburt. But in God there is complete power, for that reason he creates his identical self

Literally someone who equals him. i.e. his son. In Christianity, God father and son are identical.

in his own birth. allis daz Got ist an gewalt und an worheit und an wisheit, daz gebirit he alzumale in di sele. Everything that God is in force and in truth and in wisdom, he brings forth completely into the soul.

Sente Augustinus sprichit: 'waz die sele minnit, deme wirdit si glich. St. Augustine says: “The soul becomes identical to that which it loves.

Eckhart uses her the verb "minnen", a derivation of the noun "minne", i.e. the notion of love that is prevalent in courtly poetry.

minnet si irdische dinc, so wirdit si irdisch. If it loves an earthly thing, it becomes earthly. minnit si Got, so mochte man fragin, wirdit si dam Got?' If it loves God, one may ask does it then become God?” spreche ich daz, daz ludite ungelouplich den di zu krankin sin habin und ez nicht fornemen. If I should say that, it would sound unbelievable for those who are lacking sense and do not listen. mer sente Augustinus sprichit: 'ich inspreche ez nicht, Iner ich wise uch an di schrift, di da sprichit: “ich habe gesprochin daz ir Gode sit”'. Saint Augustine also says: “I do not say it, I rather point you to the scripture that says, 'I have said that you are Gods'”.

Psalm 82,6.

Der etwaz hette des richtummes da ich fore fon gesprochin habe, einen blic oder joch eine huffenunge oder eine zuforsicht, der forneme dit wol! Whoever might have some part of the abundance of which I have just spoken, a glimpse or even a hope or assurance, shall listen carefully to this! ez inwart nie gebort so sippe noch so glich noch so ein alse di Sele Gode wirdit in dirre geburt. Never was a birth so akin or so identical or so unified as the soul was to God in this birth. ist ez daz ez an ichte gehinderit wirdit daz si nicht allis dingis glich in wirdit, daz in ist Godis schult nicht. If it is somehow prevented from becoming identical in all aspects, then this is not the fault of God. alse verre alse ir gebrechin intphallin, alse verre wirkit he si yme glich. To the extent that it lacks flaws he creates it identical to himself. daz der zimmerman nicht ein schone hus gewirkin inkan uze worwechtime huize, daz in ist sin schult nicht, ez gebrichit an deme hulze. That the carpenter can’t build an excellent house from worm-eaten wood, that is not his fault, it fails because of its wood. also ist ez an gotiichime wirkine in di sele. Thus it is with Godly acts upon the soul. mochte sich der minniste engil irbildin oder geborin werdin in der sele, da ingegin in were alle dise werlint nicht, wan in eime enigin funkeline dez engilis grunit, loubit und luchtit alliz daz in der werlinde ist. If the lowest angel wanted to be depicted or born in the soul, this whole world would be nothing in comparison, because everything that is in the world flourishes, blossoms, and shines in one single glimmer of the angel. mer dise gebort wirkit Got selbir. What is more, this birth is effected by God himself. der engil inmac da kein werc gewirkin wan ein dinistaft werc. The angel can perform no act but an act of service. Ave daz ist 'one we'. ‘Ave’ means ‘without suffering’. wer da ist one creature, der ist one we und one helle, und di allir minnes creature ist und hait, di hait allir minnist we. Whoever is without creation is free of suffering and from hell, and he who is and has the least creation, suffers least. ich spreche ettiswanne ein wort: di der werlint allir minnist hait, der hait ir allir meist, nimannis ist di werlint also eigin also der alle di werlint gelazin hait. I said once these words: whoever has least of the world has most of it. No one possesses the world as much as he who has detached

The Middle High German reads "gelazin", a derivation of "gelazzenheit" which is best translated as detachment; a central concept in Meister Eckhart.

from it. v wizzit ir wo fone Got got ist? Do you know why God is God? da fon ist Got got daz he one creature ist. God is God because he is without creation. he innante sich nicht in der zit. He never named himself in time. in der zit ist creature und sunde und tot. In time is creation and sin and death. dise habin ein sippe sin in eime sinne, und wan di sele da der zit intphallin ist, darumme inist da noch we noch pine, joch ungemach wirdit ir da ein freude. In one sense these are related,

"ein sippe sin" includes the noun for family, thus underlining that the relation between the mentioned terms is stronger than simply having something in common or sharing certain features.

and because the soul has then fallen away from time, for this reason there is then no suffering or pain, even misery there becomes joy for it [the soul]. allis daz ie bedacht mochte werdin fon lust, fon freude und fon wonne und fon minlichkeit, hebit man sii gegin der wonne di da ist im dirre geburt, daz inist nicht freude. If one weighed all that could ever be imagined of pleasure, joy, delight, and loveliness, it would be as nothing against the delight that is in this birth.

'Gnaden vol', daz minuiste werc der gnadin ist hohir dan alle engile in der nature. ‘Full of grace’. The lowest act of grace is higher than all the angels in their nature. sente Augustinus sprichit daz ein gnadinwerc daz Got wirkit, alse daz her einen sundere bekerit und zu eime gudin menschin machit, daz ist grozir dan daz Got eine nuwe werlint geschuffe. St. Augustine says that an act of grace that God carries out, such as converting a sinner and making him a good person, that is greater than if God created a new world. also licht ist Gode himmil und erde umme zu kerine alse mir ist ein aphil umane zu kerne in minir hant. Heaven and earth is so easy for God to turn as it is for me to turn an apple in my hand. da gnade inne ist in der sele, daz ist so lutir und ist Gode so glich und so sippe, und gnade ist one werc, alse in der geburt, da ich fore von gesprochin habe, kein werc inist. Where grace is in the soul, it is so pure and so similar and akin to God and grace is unworked just as there is no work in the birth of which I have previously spoken. gnade inwirkit kein werc. Grace performs no work. sente Johannes ingeteit nikein zeichin. St. John never performed a sign. daz werc das der engil in Gode hait, daz ist so hoch daz mi kein meistir noch sin darzn mochte cumen daz si daz werc begrifin mochten. The work that the angel has in God is so lofty that no scholar or intellect

Translates "sin", referring here to the human faculty of thought.

could achieve an understanding of the work. abir von dem werke vellit ein spon, alse da ein spon abe vellit von eime huis, den man abehauwit. But a splinter falls from the work, just as a splinter falls from a beam that a man cuts down. eyn blichin daz ist da da der engil mit sime nidersten den himmil berurit. There is a flash where the angel touches heaven with its lowest part. da son grunit und bluwit und lebit alliz daz in dirre werlinde ist. From this everything that is in this world flowers and blossoms and lives.

Ich spreche ettiswanne von zwein burnen. I spoke once of two fountains. alleine ez wonderliche lude, wir müzin sprechin noch unsime sinne. Even though it sounds strange, we have to speak according to our understanding. eyn burne da di gnade uz inspringit, ist da der vader uz gebirit sinen eyn geborin son; in deme selbin inspringit di gnade, und alda geit di gnade uz deme selbin burnen. There is one fountain from which grace springs, this is where the father gives birth to his son incarnate; grace springs from the same one, and precisely there grace flows from the same fountain. eyn andir burne ist da di creature uz Gode vlizin: der ist so verre von deme burnen da di gnade uz intspringit, alse der himmil ist von der erdin. There is another fountain where the creation flows out of God: this one is as far from the fountain where grace springs from as heaven is from the earth. gnade inwirkit nicht. Grace does not perform work. da diz fuir ist in sinir nature, da inschaditis noch inburnit nicht. Where there is fire in its nature, it does not damage or burn. di hitze des fures di burnit. The heat of the fire burns. joch da di hitze ist in der nature des furis, da inburnit si nicht und ist unschedelich, joch da di hitze ist in deme fure, da ist si der rechtin nature des furis also verre alse der himmil ist von der erdin. Even there where the heat is in the nature of the fire it doesn’t burn and is harmless, even where the heat is in the fire, there it is as far from the real nature of the fire as the heaven is from the earth. gnade inwirkit kein werc. Grace performs no work. si ist zu zart da zu. For it is too subtle for that. were ist ir also verre alse der himmil ist von der erdin. Work is thus as far from it as heaven is from the earth. eyn in sin und eyn ane haftin und ein mit Gode daz ist gnade, und da ist Got mide, wan daz volgit dar noch. Being in and attached to and one with God: that is grace, and God is there, because that is the consequence.

'Got muit dir'. ‘God is with you’. da geschihit di geburt. There the birth takes place. ez emdarf nimannen unmogelich dunkin hizu zu cumene. No one must think it impossible to come here. waz schadit mir daz, wi swere ez ist, sint he ez wirkit? What harm does it do to me, however difficult it is, since he effects it? alle sine gebot sint mir licht zu haldine. All his commandments are easy for me to adhere to. he heize mich joch alliz daz he wolle, des inachte ich nichtis nicht, daz ist mir alliz cleine, ob he mir sine gnade da zu gibit. Let him command anything he wants of me, I do not consider it anything at all, it is all easily bearable if he grants me his grace. z sprechin etliche si inhaben is nicht, so spreche ich: daz ist mir leit. Many say that they do not have it [grace], then I say: that pains me. e begeris du ez abir? 'nein'. But do you want it? ‘No’. daz ist mir noch leidir. That pains me even more. enmac man ez micht gehabin, so habe man doch eine begerunge darzu. If one cannot have it, one should still desire it. David sprichit: 'ich habe begerit einir begerunge zu dinir gerechtikeit.' David says: “I have desired a desire for your justice.” daz wir Godis also begeren daz her in uns geborin werdin wolle, des helf uns etc. Help us to so desire God that he will be born within us, etc.