--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now pay attention to this. God is…" description: "\"“Now pay attention to this. God is nameless for no one can either speak of him or know him. Therefore a pagan master says that what we can know or say ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/meister-eckhart-1044_learning_now-pay-attention-to-this-god-is-nameles_468499.jpg" --- # Now pay attention to this. God is nameless for no one can… ![“Now pay attention to this. God is nameless for no one can either speak of him or know him. Therefore a pagan master says that what we can know or say of the First Cause reflects ourselves more than it does the First Cause, for this transcends all speech and all understanding . . . He is being…” quote by Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/meister-eckhart-1044_learning_now-pay-attention-to-this-god-is-nameles_468499.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/meister-eckhart-1044_learning_now-pay-attention-to-this-god-is-nameles_468499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/meister-eckhart-1044_learning_now-pay-attention-to-this-god-is-nameles_468499.jpg) > ““Now pay attention to this. God is nameless for no one can either speak of him or know him. Therefore a pagan master says that what we can know or say of the First Cause reflects ourselves more than it does the First Cause, for this transcends all speech and all understanding . . . He is being beyond being: he is a nothingness beyond being. Therefore St. Augustine says: ‘The finest thing that we can say of God is to be silent concerning him from the wisdom of inner riches.’ Be silent therefore, and do not chatter about God, for by chattering about him, you tell lies and commit a sin. If you wish to be perfect and without sin, then do not prattle about God. Also you should not wish to understand anything about God, for God is beyond all understanding. A master says: If I had a God that I could understand, I would not regard him as God. If you understand anything about him, then he is not in it, and by understanding something of him, you fall into ignorance, and by falling into ignorance, you become like an animal since the animal part in creatures is that which is unknowing. If you do not wish to become like an animal therefore, do not pretend that you understand anything of the ineffable God.”” [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God transcends language and understanding; silence preserves reverence and avoids falsehood. **In simple terms:** God is beyond words; stay silent. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner silence to respect the divine mystery. Themes mysticism silence humility Mood contemplative reverent Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - prayer - quiet contemplation - avoid superficial explanations Key Concepts Theology philosophy of language Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor the unknowable? - When is speaking about faith appropriate? 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Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) [Browse all 22,300 Learning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Now pay attention to this. God is nameless for no one can either speak of him or know him. Therefore a pagan master says that what we can know or say of the First Cause reflects ourselves more than it does the First Cause, for this transcends all speech and all understanding . . . He is being beyond being: he is a nothingness beyond being. Therefore St. Augustine says: ‘The finest thing that we can say of God is to be silent concerning him from the wisdom of inner riches.’ Be silent therefore, and do not chatter about God, for by chattering about him, you tell lies and commit a sin. If you wish to be perfect and without sin, then do not prattle about God. Also you should not wish to understand anything about God, for God is beyond all understanding. A master says: If I had a God that I could understand, I would not regard him as God. If you understand anything about him, then he is not in it, and by understanding something of him, you fall into ignorance, and by falling into ignorance, you become like an animal since the animal part in creatures is that which is unknowing. 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