212、有谁不谈论运气或命运？谁不承认它？毕竟我们谈论它，凭经验对它有所了解。但谁又知道运气或命运是什么？不可否认，运气或命运是某种东西，因为它的确存在并发生；但是，若没有某个原因，任何事都不可能存在或发生。只是这某种东西，也就是运气，其原因是未知的。为防止仅仅因为不知道原因而否认运气，请掷个骰子，或玩个纸牌，要么与玩家交谈一下。他们当中有谁会否认运气呢？因为他们与运气玩耍，运气也以一种奇妙的方式与他们玩耍。如果运气不佳，谁能胜过它呢？这时，它难道不会嘲笑谨慎和智慧吗？当你摇骰子和洗牌时，运气不是似乎知道并指挥你的手腕旋转和活动，出于某种原因支持这个玩家胜过那个玩家吗？除了在最表层事务中的圣治外，原因还会有其它任何可能的源头吗？在最表层的事务中，圣治通过稳定和变化奇妙地与人类谨慎一起作工，却又把自己隐藏起来。
众所周知，过去的异教徒或非基督徒承认命运女神，为她建了一座圣殿，如古罗马人所做的那样。关于这命运或运气，也就是前面所说的在最表层事务中的圣治，我被恩准知道许多事，但不可以透露它们。这些事向我清楚表明，命运或运气不是心智的幻觉，或大自然的造化，也不是没有原因的某种东西，因为这实际上不是任何东西。相反，它一个可见的证据，证明圣治就存在于人的思维和行为的最小细节里面。如果圣治存在于如此琐碎而微不足道的事务的最小细节里面，那么它为何不该存在于不琐碎而微不足道的事务的最小细节里面呢？如世上的和平与战争的事，或救赎与天上生活的事。
212. Who does not speak of luck? And who does not acknowledge it because he speaks of it, and because he knows something about it from experience? But who knows what it is? That it is real cannot be denied, because it exists and because it is encountered; and something cannot be real and be encountered without a cause. Yet the cause of this something, or luck, is not known.
Lest luck be denied simply because the cause is unknown, however, take dice or playing cards and play, or talk to people who play. Do any of them deny the existence of luck? For they play with it wondrously, and it with them. Who can succeed against it if it is adverse? Does it not then laugh at prudence and wisdom? When you roll dice or turn over cards, does it not seem to know and direct the rolls or turnings of the wrists to favor for some reason one player more than another?
Can the cause be due to anything other than Divine providence in outmost effects, where through constants and variables it acts marvelously in harmony with human prudence and at the same time conceals itself?
[2] People know that pagans of old acknowledged Fortune and built a temple to her, as did also Italians at Rome.
Concerning this Fortune or luck - which, as we have said, is Divine providence in outmost effects - I have been granted to learn much that I am not permitted to divulge. From what I have learned it has become apparent to me that it is not an illusion of the mind or trick of nature, nor something without a cause (for this has no reality), but that it is visible testimony that Divine providence is present in the least particulars of a person's thoughts and actions.
Since Divine providence is active in the least particulars of such unimportant and trivial affairs, how then not in the least particulars of affairs not unimportant or trivial - affairs that are matters of peace and war in the world, or of salvation and life in heaven?
212. Is there anyone who does not talk about luck, anyone who does not acknowledge it? After all, we do talk about it and we know something about it from experience--but does anyone know what it is? No one can deny that it is something, because it does exist and it does happen, and nothing can be something or happen without some cause. However, we do not know what causes one thing and another or what causes luck. To prevent denial simply because of ignorance of a cause, think of dice or cards, and either play or talk with players. Do any of them deny luck? They play with it, and it plays with them, in quite wonderful ways. Can any succeed against it if it is against them? It laughs at prudence and wisdom then. When you roll the dice or deal the cards, does it not seem as though luck knew and managed the rolls and the deals of your wrists and for some reason favored one player more than another? Can the reason be found anywhere but in divine providence in outermost matters, where in constancy and in change alike it is working with our prudence in marvelous ways, all the while remaining hidden?
[2] It is common knowledge that non-Christians once recognized Luck and built a temple to her, as the Romans did. There is a great deal to know about this Luck (which as mentioned is divine providence in outermost matters) that I am not free to disclose. This has showed me that it is not a figment of our imagination or a trick of the material world or something with no reason: that would actually be nothing at all. Rather, it is a visible witness that divine providence is present in the slightest details of our thoughts and actions. If divine providence is at work in the slightest details of such trivial and inconsequential matters, what else can we expect in the details of matters that are not trivial and inconsequential, in matters of peace and war in this world, and in matters of salvation and life in heaven?
212. Who does not speak of fortune? Who does not acknowledge it, since he talks of it and knows something about it from experience? But who knows what it is? That it is something, because it exists and presents itself to view, cannot be denied; and a thing cannot exist and present itself without a cause; but the cause of this something, that is, of fortune, is unknown. Lest fortune, however, should be denied merely from ignorance of that cause, take dice or playing cards and play, or consult players. Does anyone of these deny fortune? For they play with it and it with them in a wonderful way. Who can do anything against fortune if it opposes him? Does it not then laugh at prudence and wisdom? When you shake the dice and shuffle the cards does it not seem to know and dispose the turns and twists of the hand and wrist to favour one player more than another, from some definite cause? Can the cause have any other source than the Divine Providence in ultimates, where by means of things constant and changing it works in a wonderful way along with human prudence, and at the same time conceals itself?
[2] It is well known that the Gentiles in days gone by acknowledged Fortune and built a temple to her, as did the people of Italy at Rome. Concerning this fortune, which is, as has been said, the Divine Providence in ultimates, it has been granted me to know many things that I am not permitted to make public. From these it was made clear to me that fortune is not an illusion of the mind, nor a sport of nature, nor something without a cause, for this has no reality; but that it is ocular evidence that the Divine Providence is in the most individual things of man's thought and action. As the Divine Providence presents itself in the most individual things, so insignificant and trifling, why should it not do so in the most individual things, not insignificant and trifling, such as matters of peace and war on earth, and matters of salvation and life in heaven?
212. Who does not talk about fortune? And who does not acknowledge it, because he talks about it, and knows something about it from experience? But who knows what it is? That it is something, since it exists and operates, cannot be denied; and a thing cannot exist and operate without a cause; but the cause of this something, that is, of fortune, is unknown. But that fortune be not denied because its cause is unknown, take dice or cards and play, or talk with those who play. Do any such deny fortune? For they play with it and it with them in a wonderful way. Who can succeed against fortune if it is obstinate? Does it not then laugh at prudence and wisdom? While you shake the dice and shuffle the cards, does not fortune seem to know and to direct the turns and movements of the muscles of the hand, to favor one party more than the other from some cause? And can the cause have any other possible source than the Divine providence in outmosts, where by things constant and things inconstant it deals wonderfully with human prudence, and yet conceals itself?
[2] It is known that the heathen formerly acknowledged Fortune and built her a temple, also the Italians at Rome. About this fortune, which is as has been said, the Divine providence in outmosts, it has been granted me to learn many things that I am not permitted to disclose; by which it has been made clear to me that it is no illusion of the mind or sport of nature, nor a something without a cause, for that is not anything, but an ocular proof that the Divine providence is in the least particulars of man's thoughts and actions. As the Divine providence is in the least particulars of things so insignificant and trifling, why should it not be in the least particulars of things not insignificant and trifling, as the affairs of peace and war in the world, or of salvation and life in heaven?
212. Quis non Fortunam nominat, et quis non agnoscit illam, quia illam nominat, et quia aliquid de illa ab experientia scit; sed quis scit quid illa; quod 1sit aliquid, quia est et quia datur, non negari potest; et non potest aliquid esse et dari absque causa; sed causa hujus alicujus seu fortunae ignoratur; ne autem negetur ex sola ignorata causa, sume talos aut chartulas lusorias, et lude, aut consule ludificatores; quis horum negat fortunam, hi enim cum illa et haec cum illis mirabiliter ludunt; quis potest contra illam, si obnixa est, agere; ridetne tunc prudentiam et sapientiam; estne dum volvis talos et versas chartulas, sicut illa sciat et disponat volutiones et versationes poplitum manus, ad favendum uni plus quam alteri ex quadam causa: num causa potest aliunde dari, quam ex Divina Providentia in ultimis, ubi illa per constantias et inconstantias cum prudentia humana mirifice agit, et simul se occultat.
[2] Quod Gentiles olim Fortunam agnoverint, et templum ei struxerint, etiam Itali Romae, notum est. De hac Fortuna, quae est, ut dictum, Divina Providentia in ultimis, multa scire datum est, quae non licet manifestare: ex quibus mihi patuit, quod non sit illusio mentis, nec ludificatio naturae, nec aliquid absque causa, hoc enim non est aliquid, sed quod sit testificatio ocularis, quod Divina Providentia sit in singularissimis 2cogitationum et actionum hominis. Cum Divina Providentia datur in singularissimis rerum tam vilium et levium, quid non in singularissimis rerum non vilium et levium, quae sunt res pacis et belli in mundo, ac res salutis et vitae in coelo.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: qnod
2 Prima editio: singularissimis