44、刚才证明了神性之爱与神性智慧是物质与形式，还说明神性存在与神性显现是存在与显现本身。我们不能说是源于它自身的存在与显现，因为这种说法涉及一个开始，一个来自有存在与显现本身在里面的某种事物的开始。然而，绝对的存在与显现本身来自永恒，也是非受造的，一切受造物都必来自一个非受造物。受造物都是有限的，有限的事物只能从无限的事物中产生。
44. Divine love and wisdom are substance and form in and of themselves, and are therefore wholly "itself" and unique. I have just given evidence that divine love and wisdom is substance and form, and I have also said that the divine reality and its manifestation is reality and manifestation in and of itself. We cannot say that it is reality and manifestation derived from itself, because that would involve a beginning, a beginning from something else that had within it some intrinsic reality and manifestation; while true reality and its manifestation in and of itself exists from eternity. Then too, true reality and manifestation in and of itself is uncreated; and nothing that has been created can exist except from something uncreated. What is created is also finite; and what is finite can arise only from what is infinite.
44. Divine love and wisdom are substance and form in themselves, thus the one and only absolute. We have just established above that Divine love and wisdom are substance and form; and we have already said as well that the Divine being and expression are being and expression in itself. 1 We cannot say that they are being and expression from itself, because this involves a beginning - and a beginning moreover from something in it which is being and expression in itself. Yet being and expression itself in itself exists from eternity. Being and expression itself in itself is also something not created, and everything that is created can exist only from something that is not created. Furthermore, whatever is created is also finite, and something finite can come into being only from something that is infinite.
Footnotes:
1. See no. 17.
44. DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM ARE SUBSTANCE AND FORM IN ITSELF, THUS THE VERY AND ONLY ONE [REALITY]
It has been confirmed just above that Divine Love and Wisdom is substance and form. It has also been stated above that Divine Esse and Existere is Being and Presentation in itself. It cannot be said to be Esse and Existere from itself because this involves a beginning, and also derivation from something in it which is Esse and Existere in itself, whereas Esse and Existere in itself is from eternity. Very Esse and Existere in itself is also uncreated, and everything created can exist only from the Uncreate. What is created is also finite, and the finite can exist only from the Infinite.
44. DIVINE LOVE AND DIVINE WISDOM ARE SUBSTANCE AND FORM IN ITSELF, THUS THE VERY AND THE ONLY.
That Divine Love and Divine Wisdom are substance and form has been proved just above; and that Divine Esse [Being] and Existere [Taking Form] are Esse and Existere in itself, has also been said above. It cannot be said to be Esse and Existere from itself, because this involves a beginning, and a beginning from something within in which would be Esse and Existere in itself. But Very Esse and Existere in itself is from eternity. Very Esse and Existere in itself is also uncreated, and everything created must needs be from an Uncreate. What is created is also finite, and the finite can exist only from the Infinite.
44. QUOD DIVINUS AMOR ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA SINT SUBSTANTIA ET FORMA IN SE, ITA IPSUM ET UNICUM. Quod Divinus Amor et Divina Sapientia 1 sit Substantia et Forma, mox supra confirmatum est; et quod Divinum Esse et Existere sit Esse et Existere in se, etiam supra dictum est. Non dici potest quod sit Esse et Existere a se, quia hoc involvit initium, et quoque a quodam in illo quod sit esse et existere in se; at ipsum Esse et Existere in se est ab aeterno; ipsum Esse et Existere in se est etiam increatum, et omne creatum non potest esse nisi ab Increato, et quod creatum est, etiam est finitum, et finitum nec existere potest nisi ex Infinito.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: sapientia