Praised be the Living God. The Living God is victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.

9.

In the name of the great Living God, glorified be the exalted Light.

"To whom shall I call, that he may answer me, and to whom shall I speak a word? To whom shall I speak a word, that he may not alter what I say? He whom I called has not answered me; he to whom I spoke has not heard my word. It pained and weighed upon me; it weighed upon me and pained me exceedingly. How long must I still sit at the gate of Sufath, how long sit sighing? When will my strife be settled and these my bonds be cut? What have I sinned on high, what have I committed in the place of light? What deeds have I done that no human being should have done? Now it is woe to me, woe to my heart. How I must sigh, and woe to my eyes. How many tears they must shed, and are not sated with weeping. Who is like me, whose sons were all driven apart, and whose call no one answers? I am like a tall cedar that the carpenters have surrounded and cast down. Like a cedar into which iron has been driven all around, the words of my enemies have encircled me. Woe to me! Neither my brother from the womb, nor my friend from my friendship remembered that I had made a pact of loyalty with him. They turned back ..., and my salt and my cup they poured out. They have forgotten the day of my wine and remember not one of my days. How often have I climbed high mountains, and how often descended the paths of the brook valleys! A thousand were friends to me, and two thousand broke bread at my table. Now that my foot has slipped, there is no one to take me by the hand. When was there a day on which I told myself that I would sit here? My own heart did not reveal it to me, and none of the angels instructed me about it. Now my fortresses are destroyed and my sons carried off in rebellion. My dwelling is laid waste, and my messengers do not dine with me. These my tender wives go barefoot, though they are so perfect. These ... my heart falls away in mourning and lament."

When Yosamin said this, Manda d-Haiye answered and said: "He who does good finds good; he who does what is ugly finds evil. If you had been modest, your splendour would not have departed from its place; now that you have devised evil, the place where you sit is fitting for you." When Manda d-Haiye said this, Yosamin answered and said: "My son! I know who put me in these bonds. Were the fetter not too heavy for me, were a lighter one than it laid upon me, I would raise a mighty cry and destroy all the mountains. I would do my enemies such a thing that none could reach another. Unless the day comes when forgiveness is granted me. If that happens, and my throne is set up again, then I will pay a bribe, that good ones become bad. But I have a support in this, that I know I do not stand alone. I have heard from my Lord that great ones who exalt themselves over the lowly are called to account for their sins. And God does not hate His servants."

When Yosamin said this, the great Living God was pleased with his speech. He sent Nsab-Ziwa, the guardian who sits in every place. He said to him: "Go to Yosamin and rest his heart upon its support. Say to him: 'You are of Our planting, so We will not leave you alone. You shall not say: I stand alone. Your dwelling is firmly founded in splendour and honour, and your fortress and your building shall be founded anew, as they were. Your children shall be brought back to life for you, and your messengers shall serve as guardians in your dwelling. Your throne shall be set up firm, as it was, and in your dwelling you shall be called king.'"

When Nsab-Ziwa heard this, he arose and came to Yosamin and said to him: "O Yosamin, hear my word that I speak. Do not brood and do not consume yourself, and let no fault enter your mind. Why will you bring to nothing what is to come? The great God has sent me and said to me: 'Go to Yosamin, go, calm Yosamin and tell him that We will illumine all his angels. He shall be supported, but he must bow and stoop; then he shall know that he will be raised up again with Us.' Now, Yosamin, hear the word of truth. [Take on] gentleness and be without obstinacy. Now the stench shall flee from your dwelling, and a sweet fragrance blow toward you. Pure ether shall come, and now you may forget the persecution. You shall shine, give light and be raised up, and be a ruler in your world."

The Living God is exalted and victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.

10.

I said to myself that I would be great; who has made me small in the world? I said to myself that I would be a king; why have they cast me down from my throne? Nbat the Great hated me, and Sarrath hated me. I laid waste my worlds; now devastation has come into my dwelling. When I was gentle and modest, why did they make me a rebel? Since I was made perfect, why was I made the author of what is faulty? Since I was upright and orderly, why was I made downcast in the world? Since I was king at the head of the worlds of light, why was I set at the end of the worlds? They set me at the end of the worlds, and I must endure in the stocks. Why did they make me a rebel, and the gentle one ...? Since I was king in the worlds, why did they make me the author of resistance? So, yes so, it goes with every man who listens to idle talk. An angel who listens to idle talk is thrown down from his world. Then, when I was one distinguished among the angels, why did they make me an outcast? Why did they detach the light from me and carry off my splendour? They took from me my robes of glory and bound me with fetters, in the place where I seek my kin, but my eyes do not meet theirs. I seek my wife, but my wife does not come before my eyes. I seek the angels, my sons, but they do not come before my eyes. When it pains me and weighs upon me, I weep for myself. Of all the angels who committed a fault, they repaid only me for the fault, which I did not even commit. Since I was quiet before the King, why did they cast me down from my throne? Woe, that my own mouth brought me down and my own tongue became my persecution. They put me in fetters, they made me one who has fallen low, and because of the unfaithfulness of my mouth they thrust me from my throne. While I myself was a king, they made me an angel who must stand before a King. When I was gentle and modest, the angels who belonged to me hated me. Woe, all the wives that I had, all of them, fell into great anger against me, and I was bound fast in one place.

The Living God is exalted and victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.

11.

In the name of the great Living God, glorified be the exalted Light.

A shepherd am I who loves his sheep; sheep and lambs I tend. About my neck I carry the sheep, and from the village the sheep do not stray. I do not carry them to the seashore, lest they see the whirlpool of the water, lest they be afraid of the water, and when they are thirsty, drink no water. I carry them and give them water to drink from my cupped hand, until they have drunk their fill. I bring them to the good fold, and with me they graze. From the mouth of the Euphrat, from the mouth of the Euphrat-Ziwa, I brought them things of wondrous goodness. I brought them myrtle and white sesame. I sweep and wash them clean, and let them smell the fragrance of life. I put a girdle about them, at the sight of which the wolves tremble. No wolf leaps into our fold, and before a grim lion they need not be afraid. Before the storm they need not fear, and a thief cannot break in among us. A thief does not break into their fold, and about an iron knife they need not trouble themselves.

When my sheep lay stretched out in peace and my head lay on the threshold, a rift opened on high, and thunder roared behind me. The clouds seized one another and raging storms were let loose. Rain poured down in heaps, and hail that kills elephants, hail that shatters mountains, and storms were let loose in a single hour. Seas burst forth and flooded all the world. There, under the water, no one escaped who sank down from the height as into an abyss. The water swept away everyone who had no wings or feet. He hurries on and does not know that he hurries; he comes and does not know that he comes. Then I sprang up and went into the fold, to carry my sheep away from their place. I looked my fill: I saw the sea, I saw the raging storm, I saw the rain-clouds that give one another no greeting. Ten thousand times ten thousand dragons are in each single cloud. I weep for my sheep, and my sheep weep for themselves. The little lambs weep, who cannot get out of the gate of the fold.

When ... I entered the house, climbed up to the highest place and call for my sheep. For the sheep in my keeping I call, I whistle to them and let them hear that they should come to me. I whistle to them on my pipe and strike my zakkaitha toward the water. I call to them: "My little sheep, my little sheep, come! Direct yourselves by my call! Come, direct yourselves by my call, and you will escape the dragons of the clouds. Come, come to me! A shepherd am I, whose ship will soon come. My ship of splendour comes, and I come with it and bring my sheep and lambs into it." Every one that has listened to my call and heeded my voice and turned its gaze to me, that one I take with both my hands and bring up to me into my ship. But every male and female lamb that let itself be seized, the whirlpool of the water dragged down, the greedy water swallows. Whoever did not listen to my call, sank. I stepped onto the highest part of the ship. The prow stands together with the post. I say: "How it pains me for my sheep, who sink down from the mud. The whirlpool of the water carried them away from me, the circling whirlpool. How it pains me for the rams, whom the wool at their sides has dragged into the depth. How it pains me for the little lambs, whose bellies were not filled with milk. Of a thousand I found one again; of a whole generation I found two. Blessed is he who ... in the water and in whose ear no water has entered. Blessed are the great rams who stamped with their feet. Blessed is he who has escaped the deceivers who steal the sheep. Blessed is he who has not crouched down and not lain down and not loved deep sleep. Blessed is he who has remained whole in this deficient age. Blessed is he who has set a wreath on his head and put on the headband beside it. Blessed are the women disciples who free themselves from the snares of the Evil Spirit, free themselves from the filth and the shame and the chain without end. My chosen ones! Everyone who will live at the end of the age, let his own conscience be his support. He will come and ascend to the abode of light, to the place whose sun does not set and where the lamps of light do not grow dark."

The Living God is exalted and victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.

12.

In the name of the great Living God, glorified be the exalted Light.

An angel calls from outside and says: "Come, be to me a loving shepherd, and tend for me a thousand out of ten thousand."

"Then I will be a loving shepherd to you and tend for you a thousand out of ten thousand. But the world is full of wickedness and sown with thistles and thorns!"

"Come, be to me a loving shepherd and tend for me a thousand out of ten thousand. I will bring you sandals of splendour, with which you can tread down the thistles and thorns. Earth and heaven pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. Sun and moon pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. The stars and the constellations of heaven pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. Wind, fire and water pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. The four winds of the house pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. Fruits and grapes and trees pass away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. Everything that is created and begotten passes away, but the sandals of splendour do not pass away. So come, be to me a loving shepherd and tend for me a thousand out of ten thousand!"

"Now I will be a loving shepherd to you and tend for you a thousand out of ten thousand. But if a lion comes and carries one off, from where shall I replace it? If a wolf comes and carries one off, from where shall I replace it? If a thief comes and steals one, from where shall I replace it? If one falls into the fire and is scalded, from where shall I replace it? If one falls into the mud and stays stuck in it, from where shall I replace it? If one falls into the water and drowns, from where shall I replace it? If one is left behind in the fold, from where shall I replace it?

"Come, then, be to me a loving shepherd and tend for me a thousand out of ten thousand. If a lion comes and carries one off, let it go and fall to the lion. Let it go and fall to the lion, because it bows before the sun. If a wolf comes and carries one off, let it go and fall to the wolf. Let it go and fall to the wolf, because it bows before the moon. If a thief comes and steals one, then let it go and fall to the thief. Let it go and fall to the thief, because it bows before Mars. If one falls into the fire and is scalded, then let it go and fall to the fire. Let it go and fall to the fire, because it bows before the fire. If one falls into the mud and stays stuck in it, then let it go and fall to the mud. Let it go and fall to the mud, because it bows before the Messiah. If one falls into the water and drowns, then let it go and fall to the sea. Let it go and fall to the sea, because it bows before the seas. If one is left behind in the fold, then let it go and fall to the spirit of the fold. Let it go and fall to the spirit of the fold, because it bows before the idols. If one remains at the side of the spirit of the fold, let it go and fall to the side of the spirit of the fold. [Let it go and fall to the side of the spirit of the fold,] because it bows before the Holy Spirit. Come, be to me a loving shepherd and tend for me a thousand out of ten thousand."

"Then I will be a loving shepherd to you and tend for you a thousand out of ten thousand. I will tend a thousand out of thousands, and out of ten thousand those who worship Him. But some of them strayed from me. I climbed high mountains and went down into deep valleys, I went and found it, where it can pluck nothing. Each one I took with my right hand and laid on the Balance. A thousand out of ten thousand have the weight."

The Living God is exalted and victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.

13.

In the name of the great Living God, glorified be the exalted Light.

To you I speak and explain, you chosen and perfect ones who dwell in the world. Do not become a portion of the darkness, but lift up your eyes to the place of light. Separate yourselves from evil toward good; separate yourselves from the sinful evil of the place of darkness. Love and instruct one another, that God may forgive your sin and guilt. See and hear and let yourselves be instructed, that you may ascend victorious to the place of light.

The good sit there and seek, and all who are understanding let themselves be instructed. The good speak, take counsel and say: "Who will come, who will tell me, who will make known to me, who will instruct me, who will come, who will tell me, whether there was one King or two?" The good speak and let themselves be instructed: "One King there was from the beginning, the King from outside the worlds, God; and a ruler of this world, one of His creatures, came to be. The ruler of this age put on a sword and a crown of darkness. A crown of darkness he set on his head and took a sword in his right hand. A sword he took in his right hand; he stands there and kills his sons, and his sons kill one another. The King from outside the worlds set a crown of light on His head. A crown of light He set on His head and took Truth in His right hand. Truth He took in His right hand, and He stands there and teaches His servants. He stands there and teaches His servants, and His servants teach one another."

"Who will come, who will tell me what was before? When the heaven was not yet stretched out and no stars yet formed in it, when the earth was not yet compacted and no compacting had yet fallen into the water, when sun and moon had not yet entered this world, how was the soul then?"

"When the soul still sat in the vessel, it did not hunger and did not thirst. When the soul still sat in the vessel, it had no pains and no faults. When the soul still sat in the vessel, it felt no heat and no cold. When it still sat in the vessel, the locks on its brow were twisted, and a crown of ether was set on its head. Its eyes were rays of light and looked toward the place of the house of the Great. Its mouth was of pure perfection and praised the King of the place of light.

From the day when the evil one began to think, evil took shape in him. He fell into great anger and began a fight against the light. The messenger was sent to tread down the power of the rebels. Then living water was brought and poured into the turbid water; shining light was brought and cast into the dismal darkness. The pleasant wind was brought and cast into the raging wind. The living fire was brought and cast into the consuming fire. The soul, the pure spirit, was brought and breathed into the frail body.

From fire and water God stretched out the one heaven. From fire and water He compacted the earth upon the anvil. From fire and water fruits, grapes and trees arose. From fire and water the bodily Adam was formed. He created the messenger and sent him to the head of the generations. He called with a heavenly voice into the unrest of the worlds. At the call of the messenger Adam, who lay there, awoke. Adam, who lay there, awoke and went to meet the messenger: 'Come in peace, you messenger, envoy of the Living God, who have come from the house of my Lord. How firmly the dear, beautiful life is planted in its place! Yet how is a seat set up for me here, and my dark form sits here in lament!' Then the messenger answered and said to the bodily Adam: 'Beautifully has your throne been set up, Adam, and your form sits here in lament. All the angels remembered you for good, and God sent me to you. I have come to instruct you, Adam, and to deliver you from this world. Listen and hear, let yourself be instructed, and ascend victorious to the place of light.'

Adam heard and became a believer—blessed is he who hears after you and believes. Adam accepted Truth—blessed is he who after you accepts Truth. Adam looked up full of hope and ascended—blessed is he who ascends after you.

Listen and hear and let yourselves be instructed, you perfect ones, and ascend victorious to the place of light.

And praised be the Living God."