Of the Author.

...wild tree toward the North original: Mitternacht (midnight). Böhme uses compass points symbolically; North often represents the region of "grimness" or the source of cold, dark nature., which grew out of the grimness (original: Grimmigkeit). In Böhme’s theology, this refers to the harsh, wrathful, or severe quality of nature that exists before it is tempered by God’s light and love. of nature, and had it proclaimed: "This is the tree of life; whoever eats of it shall become healthy and live eternally." For in the place where the wild tree grew, it was a wild wasteland, and the peoples there had not recognized the true light from GOD from the beginning until that very time, nor even to this day. And the tree grew on Mount Hagar, in the house of Ishmael the mocker. A biblical reference to Ishmael, son of Abraham and Hagar; in the 17th century, this was often used as an allegory for the Islamic world or those perceived as being outside the Christian covenant.

44. But when it was proclaimed of the tree, "Behold, this is the tree of life," the wild peoples ran to the tree—those who were not born of GOD, but of wild nature—and they loved the wild tree and ate of its fruit. And the tree grew and became large from the sap of the grimness in nature, and spread its branches from the North toward the East and the West. But the tree had its source and root in wild nature, which was both evil and good; and its fruit was likewise.

45. Because the people of this place had all grown out of wild nature, the tree grew over them all, and became so large that its branches reached even into the precious land, beneath the holy tree.

46. This, however, was the reason why the wild tree became so large: The peoples under the good tree all ran after the merchants (original: Krämern). This is a sharp critique of institutional religious leaders who Böhme believed "sold" spiritual salvation like common peddlers. who sold the false wares, and they ate of the false fruit, which was also evil and good, and they supposed they would become healthy by it; and so they left the holy, good, and powerful tree standing neglected. Meanwhile, they became ever blinder, more faint, and weaker, and could not prevent the wild tree in the North from growing. For they were far too faint and weak; they saw well enough that it was a wild, evil tree, but they were too exhausted and could not stop its growth. If they had not run after the merchants with the false wares and eaten of the false fruit, but had instead eaten of the precious tree, they would have become strong enough to offer resistance to the wild tree.

47. But because they played the harlot original: nachhureten. A common biblical metaphor for spiritual infidelity or pursuing false idols. after wild nature in the land of men, following the lusts of their hearts in hypocrisy, wild nature ruled over them, and the wild [tree] grew...