Blessed be my Lord, pure of heart.

1 In the name of the great, first, transcendent God, the Living, from the worlds of light, the Exalted, who stands above all works: may healing, victory and forgiveness of sins be granted to me, N., to my father N., my mother N., my wife N., and my children. May the believer who holds fast to the Living God establish their names in His treasure-house, receive them into the blessed company, and be a support to them. For I put my trust in the name of the Living God, and these books were written so that a remembrance of me (var.: of them) may remain in the world, and my (var.: their) name may be established in the House of Perfection. (1)

2 Moreover, may forgiveness of sins be granted to all the scholars and believers who seek instruction in these writings, who listen to the voice of the Living God and praise the First Living One.

3 Blessed are You, my Lord, pure of heart, Lord of all the worlds. (2)

4 Blessed are You! Blessed, praised, glorified, honoured and established be the great, exalted, praised God, the high King of Light, the God of Truth, whose power is vast and endless. The pure radiance and the great light that does not pass away. The Compassionate, the Responsive, the Gracious, the Merciful, the Deliverer of all believers, the Establisher of all the righteous. The Mighty, the Wise, the Knower, the Seer, the One who discerns, the Master over everything. The Lord of all the worlds of light, the upper, the middle and the lower. The great glory of majesty, unseen, without limit, with no partner in the crown, with no sharer in the dominion. Whoever trusts in Him is not put to shame; whoever sincerely praises His name does not stumble; whoever stands in trust of Him is not humbled. (3)

5 The great Lord of all kings; nothing was when He was not, nothing is if He is not. For Him no death is created, for Him there is no passing away. His light shines and His radiance streams over all beings and rulers who stand before Him, and who shine in their splendour and in the great light that rests upon them. (5)

6 He granted them prayer and praise, which He placed in their hearts, as they stand in clouds of light. They revere, praise and acknowledge in submission the Lord of Majesty, the high King of Light, whose radiance, light and glory have no measure, no number and no limit; who is wholly radiance, wholly light, wholly brightness, wholly life, wholly faithfulness, wholly love, wholly compassion, wholly forbearance, all-seeing, all-knowing, wholly insight, knowledge and revelation, possessor of all the names of glory. (5)

7 The great, exalted God, whose power no one has measured and no one has limited; no one comprehends His power and the power of all His worlds.

8 He is the high King of Light, blessed with every blessing, from the beginning to all eternity, the First before everything from the very start, the Creator of all forms, the Fashioner of beautiful things, who in His wisdom remains hidden, concealed and unrevealed.

9 He is the high King of Light, the Lord of all the worlds of light, the Exalted above all the angels, the God over all that is, the King of kings, the great Lord over all rulers. A radiance that does not change, a light that does not set, beauty, radiance and glory that are not despised. Life, beyond life; radiance, beyond radiance; light, beyond light; in Him is neither lack nor defect.

10 He is the light in which there is no darkness, the Living One in whom there is no death, the Good in whom there is no wickedness, the Gentle in whom there is neither rebellion nor wrath, the Mild in whom there is neither poison nor bitterness.

11 He is exalted in the highest height, mighty, beautiful and resplendent, the Source of all that shines, the Creator of all the angels.

12 He blesses all beings; His favour rests upon all the perfect, the truthful and the believers, in whose mouths His name is established.

13 The King in the realm of life, who abides in the dwellings of sovereignty. He is constant; His radiance rises and gives light; He is without end, measure or number.

14 He rejoices with a joy without sorrow, and His whole realm rejoices with it. Beauty, adornment and splendour belong to Him, so that there is no beauty that could be likened to His.

15 He is the Truth who dwells in the heights above, the Lord of Majesty, the Lord of all great things. No one is able to define and describe His power, nor that of all His worlds, nor of the dwellings in which the angels and the righteous abide.

16 That high King of Light is secure in His dominion. He is higher than all beings, as the earth is greater than its inhabitants. He towers over all, as the heaven over the mountains. He shines more than all, as the sun more than lamps. He is brighter than all, as the moon more than the stars.

17 His attributes are without defect. Great honours are His, so that His power and greatness are limitless. He is not bounded by number or reckoning.

18 Rays of splendour, light and glory go forth from His majesty to every place. All the angels, indeed all the worlds, stand in prayer and praise, and glorify that high King of Light. (7)

19 Five mighty, great qualities proceed from Him. The first is His light, which rises over them. The second is His sweet fragrance, which wafts over them. The third is the loveliness of His voice, through which they rejoice. The fourth is the speech of His mouth, through which He creates them. The fifth is the beauty of His majesty, through which they grow great like fruits in the sun.

20 All the angels open their mouths, praise that high King of Light, and say to Him: Who shall praise You, who shall glorify You, who shall bless You, who shall honour You, who shall establish You? If we are to praise You with Your praise, Your praise is boundless. If we are to bless You with Your blessing, Your blessing is vast and endless. If we are to exalt You according to Your exaltedness, Your exaltedness is immeasurable. If we are to praise You according to Your depth, Your depth is unfathomable. If we are to speak of Your power, Your radiance and Your light, Your radiance is too vast to be spoken of in words, Your light too abundant and great to be told in speech.

21 The blessing, the grace and the majesty of the high King of Light blossom forth, come out, and cannot be bounded. No one can comprehend or understand them, except the Living One who is with You, and the angels and messengers who stand before You. All beings do not know Your name. The angels stand and say to one another: "What name does the great light bear?" They say: "There is no name like His name, no one who can call it by name, no one who could grasp its designation."

22 Blessed are the perfect who knew You with a pure heart, who remembered You with a truthful mind, and believed in You with a sound conscience, who blessed You with a mouth that is wholly praise, glorified You with a sincere tongue, and acknowledged You with believing lips, and said: One is the King of Light in His dominion; there is none greater than He, none who wages war against Him. There is none who could compare anything with His majesty, none who could lift his eyes to behold the glory of that high King of Light without his own crown falling from his head.

23 An exalted height is He, which the storms of the air do not shake.

24 His glory is ever new, not like the garments of this world. No woman has ever said: Let us make a garment for the Lord of glory. Nor could the children of the nations gather the cloak that surrounds His shoulders. The glory with which He is surrounded is never worn out, and neither moth nor decay enters it.

25 The sun does not set before Him; the lights of His realm do not go out. His glory does not wither, and its splendour does not fall away. A sweet fragrance goes forth from His glory. All the angels are enveloped by the fragrance and rejoice.

26 Blessed, exalted and mighty is He above all that is called god. At the beginning of all ages He was, the King from the very start. His name is not bounded in our mouths, nor His designation between our lips. He is the Judge of His realm, in whose mouth there is no falsehood.

27 Firmly founded is the throne of the Great, the Exalted, so that for all eternity it will not be moved from its place. No bodily carpenters established the throne beneath Him, no builders of clay built the houses of His dominion. He is King from the very start, whose kingdom endures for eternity and does not pass away.

28 Never did fear tremble in Him; the anguish and dread of the children of darkness never reach Him. Never did He stand in a day of terror, and the hour of wrath and trembling does not touch Him.

29 The King of Light is established as King for ever with His glory; for His kingdom there is no passing away. A King, great and honoured in His realm, whose walls are mighty as diamond. King of the Great, rich in angels, abundant in messengers, greater than the kings of every place. He is glad, glad is His realm, glad is His whole kingdom.

30 He has no father who is older than He, no firstborn who was before Him. He has no brother who shares His portion, no twin brother who shares in what is common. He has not mixed and has not divided, and there is no schism in His realm.

31 Before Him they offer no slaughter-sacrifice, they eat no flesh, drink no wine of lust, and sing before Him no song of transgression.

32 The glory with which He is surrounded does not darken, His honours do not wither, and the splendour of His majesty does not fall away.

33 No sound of lamentation is in His place, no childlessness of the children of men. No corpse passes before Him; His dwelling is not defiled by a dead body.

34 He fought no hard battle, and He did not stand in a day of terror.

35 The King rejoices in the angels of light. He calls one, and a thousand answer Him. By His word He creates angels, by the speech of His mouth He brings the perfect into being.

36 King of all the angels and dwellings, great honour above the heights of heaven, Gentle One who subdue the mighty, Power that bears upon all the rebellious, blessed and praised are You from every time and season into eternity.

37 Greater is Your power than that of all the kings of the place of darkness. You dwell in a place that is light and bright, and beautiful and exalted is that land in which You dwell.

38 Blessed are You in the abode of the good, established in the place that is wholly blessing. You rejoice in it, and Your heart exults over all who dwell with You.

39 You are from the first day, and You endure for all eternity.

40 He spoke with great power and mighty speech, and there came into being beings of light from pure radiance and the great light that does not pass away. Beings of praise arose, came into being and were called to life, for whom there is no end, number or passing away. They are all full of praise and stand and glorify that high King of Light, whose radiance is richer than can be described by a mouth of flesh and blood, and whose light is greater than can be uttered with lips. His radiance shines, and His light gives light over all worlds. Bright and shining is the firmament in which they dwell. (4. 7)

41 The world in which He stands is without passing away:

a world of radiance and light without darkness,

a world of gentleness without rebellion,

a world of uprightness without confusion and tumult,

a world of fragrances without foul odour,

a world of life for ever without passing away and death,

a world of living water, at whose scent the angels rejoice,

a world of goodness without wickedness,

a world of faithfulness and belief without lie and deceit.

A pure world it is, without evil mixture. (8)

42 The angels of radiance praise that high King of Light

in the radiance and light that He has bestowed on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

in the garments of radiance that He has bestowed on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

in the robes of light that He has bestowed on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

in the girdles of radiance that He has bestowed on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

in the wreaths of radiance that He has set on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

with the strength and steadfastness that He has bestowed on them.

The angels of radiance praise Him

with the faithfulness, the fellowship and the belief that He has bestowed on them. (9)

43 They are all gentle, wise and agreeable, without wickedness, lie or deceit. (10)

44 They are clothed in garments of radiance and covered with robes of light. They sit and dwell side by side without wronging or sinning against one another. They are glorious in their firmaments and fit together like the eyelash and the eye.

45 Their inner selves are open to one another; they know the first and the last. A thousand times a thousand miles they are apart from one another, and yet one shines through the radiance of the other and one is fragrant through the fragrance of the other. They make a covenant of brotherhood with one another and disclose their inner selves to one another.

46 They are removed from every kind of death, and the destruction of death is not created for them. There is no passing away for them, they do not grow old, their strength does not diminish, and they are not clothed with pain and infirmity.

47 Their garment does not turn black, their robe does not grow dark. Their wreaths do not wither or come apart, and the leaves do not fall from them.

48 They grow in every kind of growth, live and stand firm in their place. They do not waver and are not shaken. Among them there is no old man who grows old, no miscarriage that comes out of the womb.

49 In their city there is no judgement, and they do not judge one another.

50 They neither hunger nor thirst, and neither heat nor cold, malice nor wrath is among them. (6)

51 They make no war with one another and do not fall into captivity.

52 No wild beast treads their earth, and no evil vermin comes out of it.

53 There is no bad leaf on their trees, no bitterness in the fruits of their dwellings. Their fruits do not wither or dry up, and the leaves of the trees do not fall. Moth and dust do not fall into their place, and for their dwellings there is no passing away.

54 Raging tyrants without mercy have no dominion over them. Wrathful oppressors without compassion do not exist in their dwellings.

55 Their firmaments are exalted and high, and their buildings are houses of the abode of perfection. Their seas are calm and gentle, and in them there is no crossing. The rivers of the worlds of light are full of white water, whiter than milk, cool and delicious, and their fragrance strengthens more than the spiced, great vines. (11)

56 The angels and the righteous who drink from them do not taste the taste of death; they have no evil, troubled or hard day, and there is no sorrow in their souls.

57 For their years there is no number, for their whole life no measure. They are all cheerful and resplendent in joy without trouble. They walk with light step and glide over that white earth of ether. No darkness is mingled with the radiance that has risen over them.

58 Those beings of light fall into many kinds. They are divided into earths, dwellings, rivers, trees, angels and righteous, together with the radiance, light and brightness that rest upon them. Yet there is no boundary between the one and the other.

59 Shining and bright is their form. The sight of their countenance is sparkling and clear like pure beryl. Day by day, strength and voice, speech and victory are created by the King of all the worlds of light and sent to them.

60 They all stand with prayer and praise, with wondrous orders of prayer and hymns, and show to the high King of Light submission and praise. And those angels, who are from the King, their Lord. (11)

61 Fragrance goes forth from their midst, and all the fragrances of joy; not the fragrance of idols, and not the fragrance of all the Astartes.

62 All rejoice over one another, as the rain clouds give delight to the trees and seeds of the earth. They are signs of beauty, of fair appearance, of fine form and of adornment. One is more wondrous than the other, one more luminous than the other.

63 The name of the high King of Light is blessed and praised for all eternity.

64 The angels, messengers, appearances, forms, earths, dwellings, fortresses, buildings, rivers and trees, and the radiance that rests upon them, were created by the King of Light.

65 By Him angels and the righteous were called forth, from the earth rivers and trees were created for them, from radiance and light garments, robes and wreaths were formed for them, and there is none among them in whom is defect or lack.

66 That place is a place of life, of truthfulness, of rest, of security, of peace and of faith, on which everyone hopes and on which he builds his trust.

67 The King rejoices in the children of light, and they are proud of Him. Their buildings and dwellings are built of radiance and light, their walls of security and firmness.

68 Their radiance is more wondrous than the radiance of the sun and the moon. Their brightness is brighter than the brightness of this world. The radiance of this world is mixed, but the radiance of that world is brightness without turbidity. True, the radiance of this world was created after the likeness of that radiance, but as small shells and pebbles are to pearls.

69 Their earth rests on no anvil, their firmament does not turn by wheels, the seven stars do not wander over them, the five and the twelve do not direct their destiny.

70 Dust does not lie on their path, mud is not found in their rivers.

71 They are swift in their going like the thought of a man, who does not go on feet and yet in an hour arrives at every place. Light and calm is their going, as the rays of the sun appear to the eyes of the children of Adam, the rays that reach from heaven to earth.

72 When they meet one another, they take off their garments and clothe themselves with one another's treasures.

73 They do not sin and do not wrong one another, like the radiance of the sun and the wind, like the fire and the water of this world, which seek to suppress one another.

74 Their food is from the blessing of the rivers, the fruits and the trees.

75 There is no end and no limit to their virtues, and we cannot speak of their power. As one has said: Shall the stinking body praise You, or the vain tongue? Were our mouth like the sea, our tongue like the steep rocks in it, our lips like its two shores, we still could not, my Lord, describe Your power over all Your worlds in full. No, there is no one who could describe Your power in full.

76 Blessed is he who has known You; blessed is he who speaks of You with knowledge.

Blessed is he who has been enlightened about You; blessed is he who spreads enlightenment about You.

Blessed is he who has been taught in truth about You; blessed is he who teaches about You.

Blessed is he who has learned Your wisdom and been freed from the error and confusion of this world.

Blessed are the truthful and believing perfect who have known You; they ascend victorious and behold the place of light.

77 Blessed and praised are You, my Lord, You high King of Light, from today into all eternity.

78 By Your word everything came to be.

79 From that Lord of Majesty an angel was created and sent forth, whose name is Hibil-Ziwa, who is called Gabriel, the Messenger. (12)

80 When the high King of Light willed it, He called me forth from the radiance and the light in which He stands, from that dwelling which He, the Great, established on His right, and said to me: "Arise, go to the world of darkness, which is wholly full of wickedness. It is wholly full of wickedness, full of consuming fire. To the world full of lie and deceit, sown with thistles and thorns. To the world of confusion and tumult without firmness, to the world of darkness without light, to the world of stench without fragrance, to the world of persecution and death without life for ever, to the world in which good things pass away and plans are not fulfilled." (13)

81 He said to me: "Go, tread down the darkness and the mysteries that were formed from it. Make firm the earth, stretch out the firmament and fashion stars in it. Give radiance to the sun, brightness to the moon and shimmer to all the stars. Give pleasant taste to the water and radiance to the fire. (14)

82 Create fruits, grapes and trees that adorn the world. Let cattle come into being, fishes and birds, of each kind a male and a female, to be at the service of Adam and all his race. (15)

83 Let man and woman come into being, and let their names be Adam and Hawwa. Of the angels of fire, let some be made subject to Adam. Everyone who departs from Your word shall be shut into the blazing fire. Let three angels of radiance and light come into being and keep Adam company. (16)

84 Let living water come and mix with the turbid water. By the fragrance of the living water let the whole world be adorned. Let the four winds of the house be created, and the air that blows above them. Let fire come into being and spread over the whole world. Let that world be lit by Your hand." (17)

85 The high King of Light spoke the word, and everything came into being by His word. (20)

86 Gabriel, the Messenger, came, raised the heaven high and stretched it out, made firm the earth Tibil and founded it (and the whole world, by the power of the high King of Light). (21)

87 Adam the man and Hawwa his wife were formed, and the soul was placed in the body. When the soul was placed in the body, they grasped and understood everything. (22)

88 The angels of fire came and submitted to Adam. They came and bowed before him by command, and did not depart from his speech. Only he alone, the evil one, from whom evil was formed, departed from the word of his Lord. Then his Lord bound him with a fetter. (23)

89 Me, the pure Messenger, my Lord called and charged, saying: "Go, call out a voice to Adam, his wife Hawwa and all his kin. Call out an exalted voice to them and teach them about everything. Teach them about the high King of Light, whose power is far-reaching and great, without limit or number. Teach them about the worlds of light, the imperishable. (24)

90 Speak with him that his heart may be enlightened, and teach him that his mind may be enlightened. Show yourself gracious to him and keep him company, you and the two angels who are with you. Teach knowledge to Adam, to Hawwa his wife and to all his kin. Tell them that the wicked and Satan, the worthless, must not lead them astray. (25)

91 Teach them prayer and praise, that they may stand and glorify the Lord of all worlds: three times by day and two times by night. (26)

92 Tell them: Take a wife and form a tribe, that the world may be multiplied through you. (27)

93 When you approach your wives, wash yourselves with water and keep yourselves pure. (28)

94 Do not commit fornication, do not steal, and do not kill human beings. (29)

95 O you perfect and believing! Do not depart from your word, and do not love lie and falsehood. Do not love gold and silver and the possessions of this world. For this world ceases and passes away, and its possessions and its works are left behind. (30)

96 Do not worship Satan, the idols, the images, the error and confusion of this world. For whoever worships Satan falls into the blazing fire, until the Day of Judgement, until the hour, the hours of redemption, as long as the high King of Light wills, who judges all beings and judges the souls, each according to the works of his hands. (31)

97 Do not learn Satan's sorcery, and do not give false testimony. When you give judgement, give straight judgement and do not twist it. When they call witnesses, let truthful people testify. Everyone who twists the right is consumed by the blazing fire. (32)

98 Do not deliver upright servants into the hand of their evil masters, and do not leave the weak to the strong. (33)

99 Honour father and mother, and the older brothers like the father. A son who despises father and mother will be condemned on the Day of Judgement. (35)

100 Do not look with greed and longing at what is not yours. If your Lord grants it to you, it is good; but do not quarrel over it in sinful manner. For by the will of your Lord everything was allotted and granted to you in goodness. (37)

101 When misfortune comes upon you, bear it and remain firm in your faith. Change nothing and twist nothing in your word. Do not bend your knee, do not bow your head, and do not do homage to the accursed Satan who is to be stoned and who sinks down. (38)

102 Keep away from everyone who worships the wicked, the idols and the images. Be no friend to him. But if you feel a longing for him and love him, let him hear the scriptures and words and the praise which your Lord has given you. If he listens, becomes a believer and bears witness to the high King of Light, the God who is self-existent, then love him, draw him near and do him good from all that you possess. If he does not listen, bears no witness and does not become a believer, he will be called to account for his own sins. (39)

103 If you see a captive who is believing and truthful, pay ransom and redeem him. But do not redeem the soul with gold and silver alone; redeem the soul with truthfulness and faith and the pure speech of the mouth: from darkness to light, from error to truth, from unfaithfulness and rebellion to prayer and praise, from unbelief to belief in your Lord. Whoever redeems a soul is worth generations and worlds. (43)