In the name of the Great Living God

be glorified the exalted Light.

When the chosen, pure one went:

The Living God created me from on high.

The angels sought enlightenment in their minds;

they are enlightened by the wisdom of the Great God.

They sit in their dwellings

and guard the shining treasure.

They say:

"Up, let us go and betake ourselves to Manda d-Haije

and speak with him of the works that are in it (the treasure?).

Let us enlighten him about the living teaching

by which the men of tested righteousness are enlightened.

Let us speak with him of the gentle souls

and of the baptism of the Living God, by which they were (newly) formed.

Let us adjure him by the King of Light,

whose name the angels have not revealed.

Let us say to him:

Up, let us go to the edge of the house of Josamin

and to the works which the faulty one created.

Let us enlighten him about the radiance

which he strews before the feet of the mighty."

When the great ones spoke thus,

the call rose to the house of the mighty Living God.

From the Jordan

550000 angels betook themselves to Manda d-Haije.

From the white, pure earth of the ether

444000 angels betook themselves to Manda d-Haije.

From beneath the throne of the King of the angels

660000 angels betook themselves to Manda d-Haije.

They said to him:

"For what did the King of Light create you

and make you king in the ether,

that you do not go to the house of Josamin

and do not set his works in order in perfect manner?

Josamin should know

that the power of the Living God is greater than his vain power.

The angels of light are more numerous

than the sons of the frail wicked one.

The company of the Living God is greater

than the company of the vanishing wicked.

Now you have taken the brightness

and thrown it before the feet of the mighty,

you have taken the gentle souls

and thrown them into vain bodies,

you have taken the fragrant flowers

and strewn them in heaps over the frail house.

The myrtle you sent in loads

and wrought lack and defect upon it.

You sent the lofty jasmine

and did all evil to it.

You sent maru astargan

and did all evil to it.

You sent the narcissus, the myrtle and the maru,

which came from the pure land Tarwan.

You sent the narcissus, the myrtle and the maru;

now they wrought perversity upon them.

You sent the pure juniper,

whose fragrance came from beneath the throne of the King of the angels.

You sent the pure juniper,

and they wrought lack and defect upon it.

They despised the fragrant flowers

of every kind and species.

They despised the fragrant flowers

and do all evil to the souls.

You took the treasure of the Living God

and cast it upon the vain earth.

You took the word of the Living God

and cast it into the word of perishability.

You took the pure pearl

and gave it to the men who are formed of flesh and blood.

You were given dominion over the wisdom of the Great God

and over the voice that came from on high.

You were given dominion over the works of light

and over the word of the shining treasure.

And now that you have been given dominion over all works,

why is lack and defect wrought upon them?

You took the call of the Living God

and cast it into the vain call.

You took the word of the Living God

and cast it into the word of perishability.

You sent the prayers

and cast them into the vain call.

You took the pure pearl

and cast it among the perishable.

Now I have taken away the call of the Living God,

so that the perishable may gain no power over it."

When Manda d-Haije heard this,

he leapt up from his throne.

He leapt up from his throne

and called to Hibil-Ziwa.

He said to him:

"Leap up from your throne

and call to Josamin.

Say to him:

'Take the pure pearl,

bring it on high and set it up in its place.

The men of tested righteousness shall not know

that the power was taken from the house in this way.

They shall gain no power,

and the stock of the Living God shall not be cut off from the world.'"

He (Josamin) says:

"What use to me is a body without a soul,

like a vessel that has no splendour?

What use to me are splendid vines,

when their fragrance is not pleasant?"

Then a voice came from the exalted King of Light

and called to Manda d-Haije.

He said to him:

"Why should Josamin know

that the call of the Living God was taken away in this way?

Why should Hibil-Ziwa know

that the treasure of the Living God was hidden in this way?"

When Manda d-Haije heard this,

he leapt up from his throne.

He leapt up from his throne

and put on sixty-one garments of splendour, light and glory.

He sought enlightenment in the wisdom of the Great One,

in the treasure which the Living God, his Lord, had granted him.

He sought instruction in the wisdom of the Great One

and betook himself and came to Josamin.

He stood at the edge of the house of Josamin

and spread splendour over his radiance.

Splendour over his radiance he spread,

and a quaking shook his house.

In his house a quaking shook,

and the planets fell upon their faces.

The earth shrank together,

and the firmament rolled up like mats.

Beneath the throne of Abathur

black water arose and filled up.

When they saw the splendour of Manda d-Haije,

they fell down and fell upon their faces.

The planets called out with their voice

to Ptahil and said:

"Why should we guard the house,

when the radiance has been taken from us?"

Then the angel Ptahil answered the planets:

"Who took the radiance from you,

when I have not seen his splendour,

have not seen his form,

the wondrous, strange to the worlds?"

When Ptahil spoke thus,

he fell down and fell upon his face.

He said:

"Since I sit in fetters,

they made Josamin the keeper of the house.

They set him over the works

in which I wrought lack and defect.

Abathur became the weigher,

who brings forth the bright from the turbid."

When Ptahil spoke thus,

Josamin rose from his throne.

Josamin rose from his throne

and called forth sixty-one fetters around Ptahil.

Ptahil was angry in the fetters

and called his master Abathur.

He said:

"What did Josamin want of me,

that he made the fetter around me?

Since Manda d-Haije has let loose fear

into this world,

what do you want of me,

that you have brought me down from my throne?

You have brought me down from my throne

and cast my heart down from its support."

When Ptahil spoke thus,

his voice rose to the house of the mighty Living God.

The Great One rose from His throne

and said to Manda d-Haije:

"Why indeed have you become great in your splendour

within this world?

You let loose fear against the seven

and cast confusion among the angels.

Since you now surpass Josamin with your splendour,

lay your right hand in his right hand

and adjure him by God the Mighty.

Adjure him by the one great Name

by which the King of Light adjured you.

By it Hibil-Ziwa swore

and then descended to the place of darkness.

He built up the works

for the sake of which I sent him into this world.

Say to him: Let it not be that the sun does not know

how it bears the radiance of splendour.

Let it not be that the moon knows

that I have set the sign upon its brightness.

Let it not be that Ptahil knows

how the soul falls,

how the soul falls into the body

and how the blood speaks in it."

He said: "Josamin, my servant, [go to] Ptahil and let him hear

and support his heart upon its support.

Loose his fetters,

that there be no lack and defect in his mind."

When Josamin heard this,

he bowed and praised the mighty Living God.

He praised the Great Living God,

went and loosed the fetter of Ptahil.

The fetter of Ptahil he loosed

and addressed Ptahil.

He said to him:

"We believed in you, good one;

we beheld your splendour and will not forget you.

All the days, and not for a single hour,

will we let you go from our heart.

For our heart shall not grow blind

and our soul shall not be shut up in this world."

When Ptahil heard this,

his heart was supported upon its support.

He answered with a pure voice

and said to Josamin:

"Since Manda d-Haije let loose fear

into this world,

what did you want of me,

that you left the fetter around me?"

When Ptahil spoke thus,

Manda d-Haije knew

that something faulty had formed between Ptahil and Josamin.

He called Hibil-Ziwa,

armed him and sent him out into the ages.

He said to him:

"Go, preach to Josamin and let him hear

and support the heart of Ptahil upon its support."

I go and betake myself,

until I come to the house of Josamin.

When I arrived at the house of Josamin,

I said to Josamin:

"Why did you not let yourself be taught by the wisdom of the Great God;

why did you leave the fetter around Ptahil?"

When Josamin heard this,

he perceived that I had uncovered the secret he was keeping in himself.

I go and betake myself,

until I come to the house of Ptahil.

When Ptahil saw me,

he leapt up from his throne.

He leapt up from his throne

and addressed me, Hibil-Ziwa.

He said:

"Come, come, the splendour

and it rose in the house.

In the house it rose,

and the whole house was lit up.

The house was lit up,

it shone in its corners.

The Nasoraeans, who heard the voice of the Living God,

rejoiced and said:

How lovely is this voice of the Living God,

which has come, calling to us from the place of light."

When I heard this from him,

I blessed him with the great blessing

with which the dear souls blessed.

I said to him:

"Be calm and quiet, Ptahil, with your mystery

within this world.

Guard now your name in your dwelling

and call it, pronounced, only to the shining treasures.

I will teach them about everything.

I will teach the men of tested righteousness,

the men formed of flesh and blood.

I will teach them about everything.

I will teach the disciples

who remember the word of the Living God:

'When wickedness oppresses you

and wrath is let loose (against you),

beware of cursing and of bringing down

and of casting the soul from its throne.

Beware of cursing the angel Ptahil,

because, when he asked for a share from the Living God, He did not grant him one.

He granted him no share in the house,

did not grant him dominion over everything.

Upon everyone who curses the angel Ptahil

great wrath will come.

Upon everyone who brings him down from his throne

judgement will be passed.'"

I bound and guarded his works

and wrought upon them neither lack nor defect.

I set the heart of Ptahil upon its support,

that in his mind there be neither lack nor defect.

I go and betake myself,

until I come to the house of Abathur.

When Abathur saw my splendour,

he leapt up from his throne.

He leapt up from his throne

and addressed me, Hibil-Ziwa.

He said:

"Whence has the Living God this voice,

which is so sweet, which is so lovely?

The angels of light speak with it."

I go and betake myself,

until I come to the house of Josamin.

When Josamin saw my splendour,

he leapt up from his throne.

He leapt up from his throne,

sought instruction in the wisdom of the Great God

and in the enlightenment which the Living God had granted him.

He took fragrant flowers,

dipped them in water from the Jordan

and came to meet me.

He took the fragrant flowers,

set upon me a wreath of the most perfect kind

and addressed me, Hibil-Ziwa.

He said:

"O shoot, who sprouted up in the ether,

who created you, who strengthened you?"

Then I say to him:

"The Great Living God created me,

the Chosen One strengthened me here.

At the right of Manda d-Haije

He set up a throne for Josamin

at the mouth of the Frash-Ziwa.

Manda d-Haije set up this world,

he set up in it living water,

which is extensive and unbounded.

It is not lacking nor faulty,

in it is neither lack nor defect."

I made an address in perfect manner

and said:

"I make a petition to the Great Living God,

I ask You, mighty Living God,

I make a petition to the Great Living God:

set up Your praise upon me.

Teach me about the great ones,

that I may support the heart of Josamin upon its support.

Let Josamin not say:

Hibil-Ziwa has exalted himself over me."

When the Great Living God heard this,

He sent me strength in abundance.

He said:

"Go, preach to Josamin and let him hear

and support his heart upon its support.

Let Josamin not say:

Hibil-Ziwa has exalted himself over me."

When I heard this from the Living God, my Lord,

I drew from it the authority to say how it was.

I spoke with my pure voice

and addressed Josamin.

I said to him:

"The mountains of splendour blessed you,

and the heights of light strengthened you.

The earth of light blessed you,

the bright dwelling strengthened you:

the most skilful among the angels, his brothers,

the orderer of all the worlds of light."

So I addressed Josamin,

then I set out and betook myself to my Lord.

When Manda d-Haije saw my splendour,

he called to the angels.

He addressed me in excellent manner

and said:

"The coming of the angel Hibil

is like that of Sitil, who goes to the house of his friends.

When the disciples heard the voice

of Anos, the great angel,

they bowed before the mighty Living God

and praised the Great Living God exceedingly."

The angels rose from their thrones,

washed me with their washing and strengthened me with their wondrous voice.

The angel Sitil came forward

and addressed me, Hibil-Ziwa.

He said:

"May your garment shine and your form be highly honoured

with your Lord, the Lord of Greatness."

He wound for me a pure wreath

that guards me from everything ugly.

He (God) let me take my seat in His dwelling,

where He Himself was before.

He enlightened me by the voice of the Living God

and pronounced my name in the place of light.

The Living God is exalted and victorious,

and victorious is the man who has gone this way.