2374. About those who are highest up, and about hypocrites
There are some who are very high up overhead, almost vertically, a very little bit forward, who have spoken with me, and were saying that in life they had been most humble. I have heard moreover, that there are people in life who profoundly humble themselves [before God] to the end that they may be the greatest or highest in heaven [cf. 1302], and also before people on earth in like manner, with the same motive, and yet in their life, in their inner parts, are entirely different, grasping for the world and loving themselves above the rest. Thus they are hypocrites. I have heard also that in the other life they raise themselves up very high in heaven. One of them I recognized, who was deceitful more than others, trying to work his tricks under a guise of piety.
2374. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE VERY HIGH, AND CONCERNING HYPOCRITES.
There are some who are very high above the head, nearly above the crown, a little to the front, who spoke with me and said that during life they had been most humble; I heard further, that they who during life humble themselves greatly, with the end to be greatest or highest [summi] in heaven, and also (humble) themselves before men in like manner, with the same end and still during their life are quite different, thus in their interiors seek after the world and love themselves above others, therefore are hypocrites; these in the other life elevate themselves very high in heaven. I knew one of them who was treacherous above others, wishing to perform treachery under the persons of the pious.
2374. De iis qui altissime sunt, deque hypocritis
Sunt aliqui, qui altissime sunt super caput fere super verticem, paululum antrorsum, qui mecum loquuti sunt, dicebantque quod ii in vita humillimi fuerint; audivi porro, quod ii qui in vita se maxime humiliant, ob finem, ut in coelo maximi seu summi 1
sint [cf. 1302], et quoque coram hominibus similiter ob eundem finem, et usque in vita eorum sunt prorsus alii, sic in interioribus suis, affectantes mundum, et se prae caeteris 2
amant, sic sunt hypocritae, ii in altera vita elevant se altissime in coelo, unum ab iis cognovi, qui dolosus prae aliis erat, sub piorum personis agere dolum volens.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has sumi
2. imperfectum in the Manuscript