 the second answer is that whoever holds that the first does not comprehend anything but himself is wary of the necessity of multiplicity for if he said this it would be necessary to say his comprehension is something other than his comprehension of himself. this is necessary in the first effect so it should not comprehend anything but himself because if he comprehended the first or something other than himself then that would be other than his own self and would need a cause other than the cause of his own self and there is no cause other than the cause of his own self which is the first principle. so it should not be known except his own self and the multiplicity that arose from this aspect would be nullified.
الجواب الثاني هو أن من ذهب إلى أن الأول لا يعقل إلا نفسه إنما حاذر من لزوم الكثرة، إذ لو قال به للزم أن يقال عقله غيره غير عقله نفسه. وهذا لازم في المعلول الأول فينبغي أن لا يعقل إلا نفسه، لأنه لو عقل الأول أو غيره لكان ذلك غير ذاته ولافتقر إلى علة غير علة ذاته، ولا علة إلا علة ذاته وهو المبدأ الأول، فينبغي أن لا يعلم إلا ذاته، وتبطل الكثرة التي نشأت من هذا الوجه.