Plain text of 74. Anosh-Uthra's Petition
In the name of the Great God, glorified be the exalted light.
Anosh-Uthra spoke and praised the One who brought him forth. He said: "How grieved I am for my disciples who are cast into the darkness. How grieved I am for the children of my disciples who are cast into great uncleanness. How grieved I am for the children of my disciples, upon whom Ruha has strewn uncleanness and thrown them down!"
Anosh-Uthra spoke and turned to God, his Lord: "If it pleases Thee, O God, my Lord, let the number of my disciples be completed, and let my disciples then ascend to the place of light." But God, his Lord, answered and said to Anosh-Uthra: "How shall the disciples ascend, when We wish that the company of the souls become abundant?" Then Anosh-Uthra explained and said to God, his Lord: "How shall the company of the souls become abundant, when they are cast into tribulation? How grieved I am for the children of my disciples, who are persecuted because of the Jawar. How grieved I am for the children of my disciples, who are slain for the sake of the faith. How grieved I am for the children of my disciples, who are persecuted for the sake of the faith." Anosh-Uthra explained and said to God, his Lord: "If it pleases Thee, O God, my Lord, then, since the measure of the house is full, so full is the measure of the house, let an end be made to the perishing house." Then God, his Lord, answered Anosh-Uthra and said: "How shall We make an end of the perishing house, when the measure of the house is not yet full? The measure of the house is not yet full; how then shall the disciples ascend to the light?" Anosh-Uthra answered then and said to God, his Lord: "How shall the disciples and the Mandaeans ascend to the light, when they eat of the food of the twelve gates and drink of their drink; when Ruha has cast mighty uncleanness against them: lewdness and fornication and harlotry, so that not a single one of them can ascend to the light?" Then the Great God answered and said to Anosh-Uthra: "Be calm, be calm, Anosh-Uthra, and let the calm of the righteous come upon you. Since their name comes from the house of life, it shall not be cut off from the house of life."
Then Anosh-Uthra answered and said to God, his Lord: "If it pleases Thee, O God, my Lord, let us bring the world to an end, lest the whole company of the souls sink into the maw of Ur." But the Great God answered and said to Anosh-Uthra: "Be calm, be calm, Anosh-Uthra, and let the calm of the righteous come upon you. We take heed of the heavy afflictions. We have Nasoraeans and Mandaeans who have fallen into the captivity of Ruha. They have fallen into the captivity of Ruha, and Ur, the lord of darkness, devours them. Yet because they have offered prayer and praise and lifted them up, their name shall not be cut off from the house of life, nor shall their name be blotted out from the house of life. Because they went down to the Jordan, received baptism and accepted the sign of faith, they shall not be condemned. Because they performed the prayers of the night, they shall find a place with their Lord. Because of the alms they gave and the teaching they learned, they shall ascend and behold the pure ether. The persecution of the house shall pass over them; they shall forget it, and speech and the answering of prayer shall be granted to them in the place of light."
Then Anosh-Uthra offered a prayer to God and said: "If it pleases Thee, O God, my Lord, have mercy upon the company of the souls. For they are cast into tribulation. They must endure the wrath and persecution of deceit; they are entangled in the secret arts of the planets, and yet the name of the Mandai-Haije and the name of the Jawar have remained in their hearts and in their mouths."
Then the Great God answered and said to Anosh-Uthra: "Be calm, be calm, Anosh-Uthra, and let the calm of the righteous come upon you. When the world comes to an end, Hibil-Ziwa, accompanied by vigorous and armed servants of light, goes to Ur, the lord of darkness, and says to him: 'Ur! Open your mouth, for I take heed of the afflictions.' Whereupon Ur answers Hibil-Ziwa: 'O great servant of light, from where do you take heed of the afflictions?' Then he says to him: 'We have Nasoraeans and Mandaeans who have fallen into the captivity of Ruha and yet name the name of God. We have disciples who have fallen into the captivity of Ruha and yet name the name of the Mandai-Haije. We have disciples who have fallen into the captivity of Ruha and yet name my name.'" Thereupon Hibil-Ziwa raises his hand, twists the mouth of Ur, and seizes the souls who have accepted the sign of faith, who have named the name of God and the name of the Mandai-Haije and have professed their faith in the Mandai-Haije. He takes them out of the mouth of Ur and casts them into the great Suf Sea until their sins are settled. Then those souls become like white sesame cast into living water. Thereupon he baptizes them with the great baptism, with the great baptism he baptizes them and instructs them with the great teaching. Then he leads them across the streams of water. The servants of light of the streams of water go to meet the souls that have been in tribulation, and a tear gathers in their eyes. He says to them: "You have dwelt in the world, in the dwelling of sinners." Thereafter he takes each one by the right hand, lets him take a place in high honour, and radiant and exalted becomes their form in the high place, in the house of fulfilment.
God is exalted and is victorious, and victorious is the man who has come here.