55.

In the name of God, the Ever-Living, the Great, may the sublime Light be glorified.

Oh, how I shall rejoice then, where I am now so pained and anxious in the dwelling of the wicked! Oh, how I shall rejoice in my heart, free from the works that I have carried out in this world! How long shall I go about, and how long sink within all the worlds? How long shall I give light to the angels, and how long carry the treasure up to the house of the Mighty One? How I shall rejoice and let my soul look up to my Lord! How I shall rejoice over the works that I have done for the poor and the little ones! How I shall calm my heart and quiet my inner being! How long shall I bring strength to the angels and speech to the mighty in the world? How long shall I hold down the evil spirits and strike down the rebellious? Who among you will free me from the proud Abathur? How long shall I carry the works upon my neck and endure them? How long shall I overthrow and pursue, how long overthrow this world? How long shall I bring strength and firmness to the house of the toll-keepers, which are not there? How long shall I tame the stallions and bring them under the yoke? How long shall I plough, and how long scatter seed in the world? How long shall I sow, how long reap, and how long distribute what perishes? How long shall I press down the wicked and the foolish, throw them into pots and let them boil there? How long shall the scale remain light, and how long shall Abathur sit in judgement in the world? How long shall I strike Shamish and condemn him in this world? How long shall I admonish him for the sake of the men of proven piety who dwell in this world? How long shall I strike the watch-stations and cast Sin into them? From the thirtieth to the thirtieth I cast him into boiling pots. How long shall the earth still receive the seed, and the fruit spread out in the world? How long shall the ships sink, and how long rise to the place of light? How long shall I measure out living water and pour it into the turbid water? How long shall the angels bear, and how long take upon themselves filth and wickedness? How long shall it grow dark, how long light, and how long shall I leave pearls to the perishable? How many shall remain hanging on my hook, that I may draw up the poor and the persecuted? How long shall I strike the mountains and wrap what perishes in darkness? How long shall I cast chains and tangles against the fornicators and thieves of the world? How long shall I strike, slay and press down the wicked and the liars who dwell in the world? How long shall I hurl unrest among them, and how long shall they murder one another? When will the strife at last be settled, and my sick heart find healing? When will the world at last come to an end, so that I may cover my hook from the world?

When Hibil-Ziwa said this, Manda d-Haije answered him and said: "Are you made to stumble so greatly, Hibil-Ziwa, and so greatly persecuted in this world? Which of all the works that the wicked people do remains on your neck?"

When Hibil-Ziwa heard this, he sprang up from his seat. He opened his mouth in faithfulness and said to Manda d-Haije: "On whose neck else does the world fall, which was entrusted to me? To which of the angels shall I entrust the works that I have carried out and established by God's command? When Adam and Eve were created, and she was formed, and then she was tried and sent away, I was set over them to keep watch. I divided the watch-stations, forged chains for the wrongdoers, and appointed toll-keepers who do all that they are commanded. I levelled a road from the darkness to the bright dwelling. In the watch-station of Abathur I set up witnesses. I brought Abathur and set him at the scale, and gave him charge over the works of the world. I prepared the river Kshash and set Abathur at it. I established Adatan and Yadatan, the two witnesses; I appointed them as scribes and made them companions of Abathur. I prepared the white fruit in which the souls lie enfolded. From it they blossom forth and sit at the scale. I prepared the streams, the Jordan, in which the souls are baptized. I prepared the footbridge, that all souls may go to the streams. I built a ship for the good as a ferry, to carry the souls across to the house of Abathur, that he may give them strength and firmness in high measure. I brought 'Sunday' and set him over all the toll-keepers. I say to him: 'Whoever brings a letter, let him pass on; whoever brings no letter, let him stay hidden with you. All the wrongdoers and liars shall be examined in your watch-house, until a letter and a report from the world ascends to God. When a letter and a report have ascended to God, a written answer comes from God concerning them. When the letter reaches the house of Abathur, they ascend.' I set the works in order. Of the fornicators and thieves, those whose souls are zealous will ascend to the light; those who are not zealous will sink down into the darkness. For the seductive Ruha has come to seduce all the worlds. When I saw the pure warning, I warned against her. I made a dam and set up a post. I say to the Nasoraeans, the faithful and believing men, that they should lean on the dam. They shall lean on the dam, then they will ascend and behold the place of light. Whoever slips from the dam, let him lean on the post. But whoever slips from both falls down, and there is no rising again for him. He falls without rising, and the mountain, the mountain of darkness, swallows him. He longs for an end, and his eye does not behold the light. His eye does not behold the light, and his foot finds no firm ground."

Victory belongs to the knowledge of life, and God grants victory to all who love His name.

And God is victorious.