who rests under the water-brooks.

He will behold the four men, the sons of salvation,

who are a help to the Nasoraeans,

a help and a support

from the place of darkness to the place of light." —

And God is victorious.

Ninth Piece

The soul, called an angel in this piece, comes down to the world as a fragrance and takes its place in the heart of the body. Sadly it reflects on why it was sent into the world. God hears the lament and sends it a helper who instructs and comforts it.

In the name of the great God

be glorified the exalted light. —

I am the fragrance of the angels,

who went and took a place in every faithful heart.

The heart in which I took a place

I enlightened and made bright beyond measure.

Beyond measure I enlightened and made it bright,

brought it well-being and let it dwell therein.

I took from it the sighing

that the seven rebels brought to the bodies.

The seven brought it to the bodies

and let it dwell in the dark hearts.

Whoever lets himself be enlightened by the enlightenment

will be set up in the place of light.

Whoever does not let himself be enlightened by the enlightenment

will be cut off from the place of light.

I reflect in my mind on this,

how it came to pass.

Who took me captive from my place and my abode,

from the circle of my parents who brought me up?

Who brought me to the guilty,

the sons of the vain dwelling?

Who brought me to the rebels,

who wage war day by day?

Who showed me the bitterness

in which there is no sweetness?

Who showed me the darkness

in which there is no ray of light?

Who showed me the stinking water

that turns on wheels?

It turns on wheels,

and its stench rises and reaches the firmament.

When I stood at my place,

I was anxious and made my soul anxious.

I said to myself that I have no high helper,

no man as nurse.

As I still stand at my place,

the great God heard me and did not condemn me.

He sent me a high helper,

sent me a man as nurse.

He sent me a gentle supporter,

who came and delivered me from everything.

He spoke with me in living speech

and delivered me from the world.

He called with gentle voice

and let my heart rest on its support.

He taught me about praise,

so that I forgot the persecution of the Tibil.

He said:

"O gentle angel!

Not by the will of the great God hast thou come here.

Thou hast not come here by the will of the Great One,

nor by the will of the angels who are there.

Rather it came about by the will of the two angels,

that they sent thee out and dispatched thee here.

They sent thee out, dispatched thee here

and left thee in the world.

So long thou hast dwelt in it and grown up in it

as it pleased thy Lord.

When it pleases thy Lord,

He will tell thee how it came to pass."

I then said to my Lord,

to the man who was set over me:

"Who are the two angels

who were set over me?

Who are the two angels

who sent me out and dispatched me here?

They sent me out, dispatched me here

and left me in the world."

That helper then said to me,

the man who was set over me:

"Where is there a son who despised his father,

that he sent and dispatched thee here?

He sent and dispatched thee here

and left thee in the world.

Thou remainedst in it so long

as it pleased thy Lord,

as it pleased thy Lord

and He sent thee helpers.

Helpers He sent thee,

and they spoke with thee [in living speech ......].

Now, O gentle angel,

arise, ascend to the house of thy family

and curse the place of the house of thy nurse.

As long as thou didst dwell and live in it,

the seven were thy adversaries.

The seven were thy adversaries,

the twelve thy persecutors.

The twelve were thy persecutors

and said: 'We will make his works contemptible,

perhaps we shall cut him off from us.

Perhaps we shall cut him off from us

and he will take a share in [our] world.'"

I said to myself, searched my mind

and answered my Lord, the gentle helper,

the man who was set over me:

"If You know that there is lack in me,

cut me off in the dwelling of the sinners."

Then He said:

"O gentle angel!

In you there was abundance, no lack."

[Then I answered]:

"My Lord! If You know that there is no lack in me,

why have You done such grief to me?"

When He heard this from him,

He brought him out of his body.

He clothed him with a garment of splendour

and set a precious crown upon him.

He broke down their watch-houses

and led him in splendour out of the world.

In splendour He led him out of the world

and set him upon the earth of the Great God.

He set him upon the earth