Qolasta

Qolasta
Country	Sasanian Empire
Language	Mandaic
Series	Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans
Subject(s)	Mandaeism
Published in English	1959

Below are the first 103 prayers of the Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans.

Elizabethan morphology has been converted into that of modern English. "Jordan" has been changed into yardna, and "(myrtle-)wreath" and "circlet" into klila. Names for Manda ḏ-Hiia have been standardized.

Book of Souls

Prelude

My Lord be praised!

In the name of the Great First Other-Worldly Life!

From far-off worlds of light

that are above all works

may there be healing, victory, soundness, speech

and a hearing, joy of heart and forgiving of sins

for me, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš

through the strength of Yawar-Ziwa and Simat-Hiia!

Prayer 1 (burzinqa)

In the name of the Life

and in the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

and in the name of that Primal Being who was Eldest

and preceded water, radiance, light and glory,

the Being who cried with His voice

and uttered words.

By means of His voice and His words

Vines grew and came into being,

and the First Life

was established in its Abode.

And He spoke and said,

"The First Life is anterior to the Second Life by 6,000 myriad years

and the Second Life anterior to the Third Life by 6,000 myriad years

and the Third Life more ancient than any 'uthra by 6,000 myriad years.

And any 'uthra is older than the whole earth

and older than the Seven Lords of the House by 770,000 myriad years.

There is that which is infinite.

At that time there was no solid earth

and no inhabitants in the black waters.

From them, from those black waters,

Evil was formed and emerged,

One from whom a thousand thousand mysteries proceeded

and a myriad myriad planets with their own mysteries.

The Seven were wroth with me,

were outraged and said,

"The man who set out and came towards us

has not bound a klila about his head!"

Then I turned my face toward my Creator who created me,

the celestial Lord of Greatness,

and I said to Him,

"O my Creator who created me,

(O) Lord of lofty Greatness!

As I went (my ways) the Seven were wroth with me and said,

'The man who went and came towards us

has not bound a klila about his head!'"

Then that Lord of Lofty Greatness took

a klila of radiance, light and glory

and set it on my head;

He laid on me His hand of Truth

and His great right hand of healings

and said to me,

"Upon you shall rest somesing of the likeness

of Sam-Gufna and of Sam-Gufaian and of Sam-Pira-Hiwara,

whose radiance gleams

and whose appearance beams,

for they are holy and believing beings

in the Place of Light and in the everlasting Abode."

And Manda ḏ-Hiia, the valorous 'uthra,

taught, revealed and said,

"Every Naṣoraean man who is righteous and believing,

on arising from sleep,

must take a white turban

symbolising the great mystery of radiance, light and glory

and shall recite this prayer thereon.

And he shall twist it round his head

and repeat the prayer secretly.

It will be his praise

in the house of the great Celestial Father.

And all persons who behold him

will be subdued in his presence:

any persecutor, or one who incits to wrath,

will stand before him

in fear, terror and trembling,

(their knees) knocking together.

And for me, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš,

who have prayed this prayer and (these) devotions,

there will be forgiving of sins

and I shall be pure in all my words.

And Life is victorious.

[This is the prayer of the turban].

Prayer 2

Illumined and illuminating is Zihrun,

the great Mystery of radiance, light and glory,

from whom Manda ḏ-Hiia emanated and was divulged,

and from whose very Self noble sons of the mighty and sublime Life proceeded.

He created 'uthras at his right and his left

and installed them in their own škintas,

And they gave out light

and were effulgent in their own raiment

and gloried in the knowledge

that their Father had transplanted them from the House of Life.

And it is incumbent on a pupil

to honour his Master like his parents,

(so) the 'uthras rose on (their?) thrones of radiance, light and glory

and took off the crowns on their heads

and placed them on the thrones of radiance, light and glory,

saying,

"A teacher is superior to parents!

Rise, our Father, in praise,

and lay on me Your hand of truth

and Your great right hand of healings!"

And Life be praised!

[This prayer is the opening prayer of "In the name of that First Being"]

Prayer 3 (burzinqa)

In the name of the Life!

Life created Yawar-Ziwa, son of Light-of-Life,

Hamgai-Ziwa son of Hamgagai-Ziwa.

Illumined and illuminating

is the Great Mystery of Radiance,

Zihrun, a Crown of radiance, light and glory

from whom a flow of living water

streamed out to the škintas.

For he is the revealer (lit. opener) of radiance and light

and displays his treasure which emanated from him,

to eager 'uthras.

All worlds adore and praise the mighty First Life in its Indwellings,

and Life is victorious.

[This is the prayer of the turban]

Prayer 4

As the 'uthras stand in their škintas

they adore and praise the Great Place

in the Light which is eternal,

and praise Manda ḏ-Hiia and speak with him.

When the 'uthras are standing in their škintas

they adore and praise that Tarwan-Nhura.

To what shall they dedicate the klila upon their heads

and upon what shall they hang it?

They dedicate it to the Tree of Radiance

and hang it (thereon).

And Life be praised!

[This is the prayer of dedication of "Life created Yawar-Ziwa"]

Prayer 5 (burzinqa)

In the name of the Great Life!

Let there be light,

let there be light!

Let there be the light

of the Great First Life!

There shone forth wisdom,

vigilance and praise of the First Mana

which came from its place.

He who twins the klila is Yufin-Yufafin:

the bringer of the klila is 'It-'Nṣibat-'utria.

'It-Yawar son of 'Nṣibat-'utria set on the klila.

He brought it and placed it upon the head of the implanted mana

which was transplanted from guarded (?) manas.

The klila flames and the leaves of the klila flame!

Before the Mana there is light,

behind the Mana glory,

and at either side of the Mana

radiance, brilliance and purity.

And at the four corners of the House

and the seven sides of the firmanent silence,

bliss and glory prevail (lit. are found).

And Life be praised!

[This is the prayer for the turban.

Read it and set it on your head.]

Prayer 6 (loosing)

A crown of ether-light shone forth dazzlingly

from the House of Life.

'Uthras brought it

from the House of Life

and the mighty First Life

established it in His škintas.

He who sets it up

shall be set up

and he who uplifts it

shall be raised up

into the world of light

and he who establishes it

into the enduring Abode.

Ye are established and uplifted to the place

(in which) righteous (beings) are established.

And life be praised.

[This is the prayer of #6, #5.

These three prayers #1, #3, #5

read near your crown and place it on your head.

And read #19

over the klila and put it on your head above your crown.

And twine a klila for your staff and hold it with your crown.

And when you go to the yardna read "Answer me, Father, answer me!]

Prayer 7 (pandama)

In the name of the Great Life!

There shall be healing for me,

Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš!

Strengthened and enhanced

is the great mystery of radiance, light and glory

which rests on the mouth of the Great Life!

For from it came into being

and was manifest Manda ḏ-Hiia

who knew and interpreted the thoughts of the First Life,

which are wondrous.

And Life be praised!

[Read this prayer and hold your pandama for your baptism.]

Prayer 8 (riha)

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for the mighty, first, sublime Life from, worlds of light,

the Ineffable above all works!

for the ancient Radiance and for the Primal Light,

for the Life which emanated from Life

and for Truth (Kušṭa) that was pristine, from the beginning.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for Yukabar-Ziwa

who was mighty in his radiance,

and came in his light and his glory (as) messenger to the first righteous elect (people).

He crossed over the worlds and came and rent the firmament and revealed himself.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia,

source of Life,

who interprets silence and gives hope

and takes the prayers of spirits and souls of righteous and believing men,

the virtuous and well pleasing,

into the Place of Light and into the Eternal Abode.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for the Father of 'uthras,

the Ancient, Lofty, Occult and Guarded,

the Man who is high (yet) remains deep and hidden.

He sees and understands that which the worlds and generations do in the worlds of darkness.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense, that is fragrant!

yes for the dwelling of Life

and the planting of 'uthras.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for the dwelling of four beings, sons of Perfection.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes for the dwelling of Abathur.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for the dwelling of Hibil, Šitil and Anuš,

sons of a living, brilliant, healthy and steadfast stock,

beings not removed by sword,

nor burnt by flames of fire,

nor drowned in water-floods;

whose (very) sandal-straps on their feet are unwetted by water.

They sought and found,

went to judgment and were vindicated,

spoke and were heard.

They are complete,

lacking in nought;

perfect are they and not imperfect.

They came from a pure place and go to a pure place.

Incense that is fragrant,

incense that is fragrant!

yes, for the lives of the men who were our ancestors,

of righteous and believing men who rendered up (their souls)

and departed from their bodies;

and of those who yet live in their bodies.

They testified and the door of Sin will be shut to them

and the door of light open to them

and they will be knit together in the union of Life,

in which there is no separation.

Pray ye for us from there,

and we will pray from here for you!

All fruits perish;

all sweet odours vanish,

(but) the perfume of Life is established for ever

and unto world's end upon those who love His name of Truth.

Those souls who descend to the yardna and are baptised

shall be without sins, trespasses, follies, mistakes and evil deeds:

they will rise and behold

the great Place of Light and the Eternal Abode.

And praised be the Great Life in light.

And Life is victorious.

[This saying,

"Incense that is fragrant,

yes for the First Life"

recite over both incense and sandalwood and put them before you on the yardna-bank in a new incense-pan.

And make a fresh fire on the copper incense-pan – (these) are aids of all order which ye carried,

put (lit. "performed") at the yardna.

Then read the baptismal "We acknowledged"

"Praises",

"You, Life",

"I sought to raise eyes"

(Prayer 77) and "Raising eyes".]

Prayer 9 (ziwa)

Raising my eyes and lifting up my countenance

toward the Place which is all portals

of radiance, light, glory, beauty, repute and honour

and to the Abode which is all beams of light;

I adore, laud and praise

the Mighty, Strange (other-worldly) Life,

and the Second Life and the Third Life;

and Yufin-Yufafin,

Sam-Mana-Smira,

and the Vine which is all Life

and the great Tree which is all healings.

I adore, laud and worship

the precious and guarded Place,

the secret and guarded manas

and the Lord of Greatness from the Secret Place and,

from the Hidden Place, the pihta, need (?), truth and faith.

I worship, laud and praise

Sam-Smira,

the great radiancy of the First Life,

son of the Great Primal Life who thought and was manifest,

seeking His own:

His shekhinah rests on waves of water.

The assembly of souls which proceeded from Him,

on the Last Day,

when they leave their bodies,

will rejoice in Him,

will embrace Him and will rise up

and behold the outer Ether and the everlasting Abode.

I worship, laud and praise

the multitudinous Radiancies and great mighty Lights:

I worship, laud and praise

Piriawis,

the great Yardna of the First Life

which is all healings.

I worship, laud and praise

the pure Yušamin

who abids on treasures of the waters

and upon mighty celestial wellsprings of light.

I adore, laud and praise

the Life which proceeded

from Life and the Truth which existed before,

in the Beginning.

I worship, laud and praise

Yukabar-Ziwa,

envoy of the Life

and the Word of the first Elect Righteous ones.

I worship, laud and praise

the Ancient, Supernal, Occult and Guarded Abathur,

who is high, hidden and guarded,

whose throne is placed at the gate of the House of Life.

He sits with the scales set before him,

weighing deeds and (their) recompense.

He sees and discerns that which the worlds and generations do.

I worship, laud and praise

Manda ḏ-Hiia lord of healings,

the being whom the Life summoned and bade him heal the congregation of souls,

divesting the congregation of souls of (their) darkness and clothing them with light;

raising (them) and showing them that a great restoration of life exists,

a place where the spirits and souls of our forefathers sit clothed in radiance and covered with light;

showing the great restoration of life which is before them.

I worship, laud and praise

Šilmai and Nidbai,

the two delegates of Manda ḏ-Hiia,

who rule over the great yardna of Life,

for they baptise with the great baptism of Light.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 10 (yardna)

On the day that the Yardna was bestowed upon Sam-Smir,

the great pure radiance of the First Life

which flowed forth from Him,

Bihram and Ram-Rba-Hiia went with him

(and?) 444,000 myriads of 'uthras, sons of light,

who descended to the yardna.

He baptised them and they rose to the bank.

He raised them up and conferred upon them some of the glory

and some of the greatness which was (conferred) on himself.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 11

I have worshipped and praised that Yawar-Ziwa

whose dwelling is situated in the world of Outer Ether and in the Enduring Abode.

I have worshipped and praised the seven holy and guarded manas

which were transplanted from it.

I sought in prayer the First Life,

and, in the presence of the mighty sublime Life,

discovered that which offends

in myself, (in me), Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš

and about what which causes my friends to offend,

and my friends' friends and the friends of the great Family of Life.

And Life is victorious.

[Pray these three prayers,

"Raising eyes",

"The day that the Yardna was bestowed"

and "I have worshipped and praised that Yawar-Ziwa"

on the yardna-bank after "I sought to raise eyes".

They are the helpers (aids to) baptism.]

Prayer 12 (yardna)

I am Yur son of Barit (I shone forth).

In great effulgence the radiance glowed (with heat?).

The tanna dissolved and a dwelling came into being,

a dwelling came into existence and was established in the House of Life.

And Life is victorious.

[Read this prayer and grasp your kanzala (stole).

It is the opening prayer for the yardna.

Then recite "I went to the yardna"].

Prayer 13

I went to the yardna,

but not I alone,

(for) Šilmai and Nidbai, my helpers,

went with me to the yardna;

Hibil and Šitil and Anuš

went with me to the yardna

they who baptise

with the great baptism of Life.

Piriawis-Ziwa and Piriafil-Malaka

give free movement to the limbs of my body!

I go down before these souls

whom the Life deliveres and saves,

and protects these souls from all that is evil

and from those who give nothing, but take away;

and from those who lend nothing

and (yet) are paid back;

and from evil spirits which hasted

yet did not arrive,

and from liliths which fell down

and did not arise.

Their hands fell (powerless) on their knees;

their eyes were blinded and unable to see

and their ears became deaf and unable to hear.

In your names, Šilmai and Nidbai,

and through the strength of Hibil, Šitil and Anuš,

secure, seal and guard these souls

who go down to the yardna and will be baptised,

by the great seal of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia,

the healer, whose strength none can attain.

And Life is victorious!

[Recite until you reach (the words) "Piriafil, loosen the limbs" (etc.).

And descend (into the water) up to a fourth of your thighs.

If you are baptising a single soul,

say "my body, and I go down before this the soul of N."

If there are several souls,

recite as written (above),

and at the place where it said "secure, seal and guard"

say "secure, seal and guard this soul of N, and establish it"

and then recite your saying over the staff.]

Prayer 14 (margna)

In the names of Yusmir the First Vine,

from whom Yawar took a staff of water

and went to the bank of the yardna,

covered, as it were, with radiance

and clothed in light.

Over it he pronounced secret sayings – these mystic names:

"In the name of Yusmir-Yusamir,

and of Sam-Mana-Smira;

in the name of Hauran-Hauraran

by which the first Yawar raised up 'uthras,

flourishing Vines of life,

in the yardna.

By it Hibil raises up

living souls in the yardna,

those worthy of the great Place of Light

and of the Everlasting Abode.

By it they will be established

and raised up in the House of the Mighty Life.

It will raise these souls

who go down to the yardna and are baptised:

they will behold the Great Place of Light

and the Everlasting Abode.

[This saying is for the staff.

Recite it over the olivewood staff and stick it into the yardna (-bed),

then recite the baptism(-al prayers).]

Prayer 15

Bound is the sea,

bound are the two banks of the sea!

Bound are the devils and demons,

the demon-visitants,

haunting spirits,

and satanic amulet-spirits.

Bound are the 360 mysteries

that are in the House!

I am secured and sealed,

I, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš,

and these souls who are descending to the yardna

and will be sealed

by the seal of the Mighty Sublime Life,

and by the great MA

and the great YA

and the great BAZ

and by the great AZIZ

and by the great AS

and by the great ASIN

and by the sea (of?) AS.

Bound are (Magian) priests,

slaughterers,

priests who cut up victims,

scorners,

those who make evil signs

and the seven mysteries which are in the sea.

Every demon (exorcised) by name,

every evil spirit by his appelation,

every amulet-spirit

and all idol-demons

who raise their heads

and show their countenances,

lifting themselves in pride

against the Sublime Being

and directing their evil eye

towards these souls who are going to the yardna,

shall be struck down and smitten

by Yaha-Yaha

and by Zha-Zha

and by angels

which where sent

and come against them.

Flee in fear before them!

and before the glory which is mighty upon them.

Depart in fear and avaunt!

Seven walls of iron have been set around me,

Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš,

with which Haiašum,

the first Kušṭa,

surrounded himself.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 16

I am a perfected gem:

into the midst of the worlds and ages

am I cast down.

I am an iron club,

a great rocky crag.

Any demon that dashes himself against me will be shattered

and if I strike at him he will be dashed to pieces.

Any demon which reares its head,

any amulet-imp which sets its countenance against these souls in malice, overlooking them,

will be thrashed and struck by 'Usfar-Manharbiel-'Staqlus,

the little child who dwells upon pure springs of light,

(yes) beaten with the mace of water by which Fire was beaten out and extinguished;

(and) by the strength of Mān the Healer

and by the strength of elect righteous (men).

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 17

Avaunt! flee in fear

all (ye) evil, restricting, wrathful spirits!

Flee, be gone, be vanquished and brought to nought

before the glory and light of Manda ḏ-Hiia!

Piriawis-Ziwa and Piriafil-Malaka

have set moving the limbs of my body:

I descend (to the Yardna) before these steadfast,

flourishing souls of the living.

Šilmai and Nidbai,

fly, approach, arrive!

Bear ye witness to these souls

who are going down to the yardna to be baptised.

Ye four 'uthras, sons of light,

Rhum-Hai, 'In-Hai, Šum-Hai and Zamar-Hai,

be ye my witnesses

on the great day of departure (from the body).

Great Yardna of Life,

I laud you and adjure you

by 'Uṣar-Nhura (Treasure-of-Light),

the great solace and support of life,

that you give no room to evil beings

(who are) against these souls who go down into you.

Healing shall be theirs

in the name of the Sublime (Strange) Life from worlds (of light).

May Life be established in Its indwellings,

and Life is victorious.

Prayer 18

In the name of the Life!

Piriawis, the great yardna of the First Life,

which is all healings,

is afire like the glory flaming in the Tanna.

When Life was ardent and life burst forth

in the great glory which flames therein,

Life arose and founded its dwelling above the Tanna.

The radiance waxed ardent,

the Tanna dissolved.

They opened the waters

and Life was established by its own waters.

Yur (brilliant light) established Yur:

Life was increased in power by its own radiance

and by the great glory which flamed in It.

And in the waters Life established living (creatures);

above the the waters fruit appeared and a dwelling was founded.

You do I invoke, great Yardna of Life,

by (in the name of) Treasure-of-Light,

the great support and solace of the Life,

and by pure Yušamin who dwells

upon the treasures of the waters

and upon wellsprings of light;

by Yusmir, the being

who united with water;

by Adatan and Yadatan

who sit at the Gate of Life

and seek spirits and souls in the Place of Light;

by Šilmai and Nidbai

who bear witness before the Great Life.

Behold these souls

who quit destruction for construction,

(go) from error to truth

and (leave) the abode of fear of the deity of the House (i.e. world)

for the great Place of Light and the everlasting Abode!

If he to whom I speak listens

and he to whom I call is established (in the faith)

and is knit into the communion of Life

and built into the great fabric of Reality,

I will take his hand and be his saviour and guide

to the great Place of Light and to the Everlasting Abode.

If I speak to him and he listens not and call to him

and he is not uplifted,

he will be put to the question.

(But) I shall not be put to the question,

because of the Word of Truth (Kušṭa)

and its uplifting by Yukabar.

And Life is steadfast in its Dwellings,

and Life is victorious.

[Then cry] "In the name of Life!

Let every man whose strength enables him

and who loves his soul,

come and go down to the yardna

and be baptised and receive the Pure Sign;

put on robes of radiant light

and set a fresh klila on his head".

[Here baptise the souls.

And they shall descend behind you

and shall submerge three times.

And your staff shall be (rest) on your left arm.

Dip them with your right hand,

grasp them with your left

and place them between you and your staff

and dip them under thrice and

sign them thrice with your right hand.

And your face shall be toward the Gate of Prayer].

When you have signed them, say,

"N, son of N.,

you have been signed with the Sign of Life

and the name of the Life and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

were pronounced upon you.

You have been baptised

with the baptism of the great Bihram,

son of the mighty (life).

Your baptism will protect you and will be efficacious.

The name of the Life and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

are pronounced upon you!"

And give them three palmfuls of water to drink

and say to them

"Drink!

and be healed

and be strengthened!

The name of the Life

and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

have been pronounced upon you".

Recite "Manda created me"

over the klilas

and place them upon their heads.

When placing your hand on their heads

recite these secret names:

"The name of the great mystic First Wellspring

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great First Palmtree

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great Šišlam

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great ‘Zlat

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great Yawar

be pronounced on you;

the name of Simat-Hiia

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great Yukabar

be pronounced on you;

the name of the Mana and its Counterpart

be pronounced on you;

the name of the Great Mystery and the secret sayings

be pronounced on you;

the name of the great first Shaq-Ziwa

be pronounced upon you;

the name of Sam-Ziwa-Dakia, the Eldest, Beloved, great First (Being)

be pronounced on you;

the name of the Life and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

be pronounced on you."

[Then reach them (perform with them the rite of) kušṭa.

And he shall go up before you (on to the bank).

Then dip your phial,

fill it with water and give it to whoever stands on the bank.

Then dip your bowl and recite the hymn "At the waterhead I went forth"

and "Blessed are you, Outer Door",

and recite the dedicatory prayer for the yardna.

When you recite #15-#18

and all as it is written,

speak as written if there are two,

three or many souls;

but it only one soul say "the soul of N, who descended to the yardna and was baptised and received the pure sign."

(And pay close attention to your baptism.)

Prayer 19 (klila)

Manda created me,

'uthras set me up,

radiance clothed me

and light covered me:

Haza-zban set the klila on my head,

mine, Adam-Yuhana, son of Mahnuš,

and on these souls who descend to the yardna

and are baptised.

Its tendrils shine

and its perfume is sweet,

for they (the tendrils) wither not

nor do they come apart,

and its leaves do not fall off.

And Life be praised!

[This is the set prayer for the baptism klila.

Recite it over the klila and place it on the heads of the souls that you baptisest].

Prayer 20 (yardna)

Blessed are you, Outer Door,

and blessed are you, Everlasting Abode!

Blessed are ye, great beings of radiance

and mighty and powerful beings of light.

Blessed, lauded and honoured be the 'uthras

which dwell on the yardna!

Yardna! be gentle towards these souls

which have descended into you!

Let healing be theirs by virtue of the Word of Truth

and its upliiting by Yukabar-Ziwa.

[This is the dedicatory prayer of the yardna.

When you have extolled the yardna,

if you baptisest several souls recite as it is written;

it only one soul,

say "The soul of N.

who has descended into you"

and rise to the bank and recite "I rose up from the Yardna".]

Prayer 21

In the name of the Life!

I rose up from the yardna

And I met a group of souls,

A group of souls I met,

who surrounded our father Šitil,

Saying to him,

"By your life, our father Šitil,

Go with us to the Yardna!"

"If I go with you to the yardna

Who will be your witness?"

"Lo, Sun has risen above us;

He will be our witness!"

"It is not he whom I seek,

Not he whom my soul desires.

The sun of which ye spake,

Rises early, sets at dusk.

The sun of which ye spake,

the sun is vanity and comes to an end.

Sun comes to an end

and becomes vanity

And his worshippers come to an end

and are vanity."

I rose up from the yardna

And a group of souls I met,

A group I met of souls

Who surrounded our father Šitil,

Saying to him,

"By your life, our father Šitil,

Go with us to the yardna!"

"If I go with you to the yardna,

Who will be your witness?"

"Lo, Moon who shines above us,

He will be our witness!"

"It is not he whom I seek,

Not he whom my soul desires.

The moon, of whom ye spake,

Rises at dusk and sets at dawn.

The moon of which ye spake,

the moon is vanity and comes to an end

And his worshippers come to an end

and are vanity."

I rose up from the yardna

And a group of souls I met,

A group I met of souls

Who surrounded our father Šitil,

Saying to him,

"By your life, our father Šitil,

Go with us to the yardna!"

"If I go with you to the yardna

Who will be your witness?"

"Lo, there burns a fire.

It will bear witness for us."

"That is not what I seek,

Not that which my soul desires.

The fire of which ye spake

Once a day needs a firebrand.

The fire of which ye spake –

Fire, is vanity and comes to naught

And its worshippers come to naught

and are vanity."

I rose up from the yardna

And a group of souls I met,

I met a group of souls

Who surrounded our father Šitil,

Saying to him,

"By your life, our father Šitil,

Go with us to the yardna!"

"If I go with you to the yardna,

Who will be your witness?

"The yardna and its two banks

Will bear witness for us;

Pihta, kušṭa and mambuha

Will bear witness for us;

Habšaba, (Sunday) and Kana ḏ-Zidqa

Will bear witness for us;

The sanctuary in which we worship

Will bear witness for us;

The alms that is in our laps

Will bear witness for us;

And our father who is our head

Will bear witness for us."

"This is that which I seek,

This is that which my soul desires!

When I rise to the House of Life

And travel to the Everlasting Abode,

When Life questions me, (these) witnesses

Will come and will bear witness.

Witnesses of the truth are they,

Sure is all that they say!"

And Life is victorious!

[Recite this prayer after #20]

Prayer 22

We have acknowledged the name of Life:

(believe in) the great celestial Womb,

in that which is endless and countless,

in Yaluz-Yaluz,

in Ṣbabut, the mighty Will of Life;

in Piriawis, fount of living waters;

in "He-provided-a-dwelling"

giving His Likeness its dwelling in the House of Life;

in the Life Whose Eyes were fixed upon the waters.

He arose, gazed and beheld the Nest

from which He derived His being.

We believe in Yufin-Yufafin,

in Nbaṭ, the first Upsurge and outflow of Life at its inception,

in its second (outflow), Sam-Smir;

in its third, Bihram son of the Mighty (Life),

Yukabar, the Word of Life who came from the House of Life

to righteous and believing men.

Any person sprinkled by this oil

on which I have pronounced the name of the Mighty Sublime Life

and upon whom I have pronounced these mystic names,

will have health (healing) abundant in his body;

health abundant and not poor.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 23

In the name of the Great Life!

Precious oil are you,

son of white sesame,

son of the Euphrates bank,

son of the river-pleasaunce,

son of water-pools,

son of treasures of light.

Upon you, Oil,

Life laid His hand and sent you to this world which is all birth,

to heal, uplift, raise up and ameliorate

all pains, diseases, complaints, tumours

(and) the seven mysteries that inhabit the body.

I praise you, Oil,

and adjure you, Oil,

by the Life,

by Manda ḏ-Hiia

and by the 'uthras,

sons of salvation (and) by this strange being,

who is honoured, wondrous and perfect,

who summoned chosen elect beings, sons of light,

and said to them:

"Give me precious oil,

son of white sesame,

son of the Euphrates-bank,

son of the river-meadow,

son of water-pools,

son of treasures of light.

Anoint, and I will bring you oil:

anoint with radiance, fight and glory,

the Oil wherewith I anointed and (which) I bestowed,

not in the name of a god,

not in the name of spirit,

not in the name of a messiah

nor in the name of a temple-Ishtar.

Nay, the oil with which I anointed,

(the oil) which I bestowed is at my name,

my Sign and (given) as the name

and sign of a living, glorious, flourishing and steadfast race.

Any man anointed by this oil will live,

be whole and be strengthened:

his mouth will assume the nature of Anuš,

within him he will take on the nature of Anuš.

From him the 7 dolours of death

and the 8 afflictions of darkness

shall violently depart

and be expelled.

Demons, devils, shedim, demon visitants, amulet-spirits and liliths

will be removed and driven out of him in the presence of that

which increased the strength, radiance and light of Knowledge of Life".

And Life be praised!

Prayer 24

In the name of the Life!

You were established, First Life;

you were in existence before all things.

Before You no being existed.

For He has fulfilled Himself and has issued

in His strength and His steadfastness

and in the radiance and strength

which His Father has bestowed upon Him.

For we have not changed

that which you have commanded us.

You enlarge our steps

and lift our eyes heavenwards.

You descend and give us

dwellings by springs of Life.

You poure into us and fill us

with your wisdom, your doctrine and your goodness.

You showe us the way by which

you came from the House of Life

and we will walk therein

with the gait of righteous and believing men,

so causing our spirits and souls

to dwell in the dwellings of Life,

the place where the spirits of our fathers abide,

clothed in radiance and covered with light,

rejoicing, laughing, dancing, exulting

about the glorious splendour resting (upon them) [?].

This is the Oil wherewith he anointed,

the radiance, light and glory

which Manda ḏ-Hiia blessed with his pure mouth

and bestowed on all who love his name of Truth.

From all those who are anointed with this oil

every pain, disease, complaint, tumour, curse and physical evil will be removed.

They will be freed

from fetter and bond,

from evil curses,

from evil slander,

from lying accusation,

from the hand of the wicked,

from the sword of enemies

and from the third tongue

which is softer than fat

and sharper than a sword.

(They will be delivered)

from incubi and hobgoblins,

from wicked outcry, black magic;

from a spoilt klila,

from the male and female biruq

and from the second death:

they will be driven off and cast out

by your surpassing Name which is all life.

It falls

on the dead man

and he lives:

on the sick man

and he stretches (himself);

on the blind man

and (his eyes) are opened;

on the deaf man

and wisdom and perception are infused into him.

The accused is successful in his lawsuit

and the prisoner is freed from prison.

The hand of Truth and healing will come from the House of Healings

in the name of the Life which emanated from Life

and in the name of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia.

Every man anointed with this oil

will be sinless and blameless in the Place of Life.

And Life is victorious.

[Read these three prayers "We acknowledged the name of Life"

"Precious oil are you",

"You were established, First Life",

upon the oil and sign the souls you have baptised,

when they rise up out of the yardna.

Say "N. son of N.,

you have been signed with the sign of Life and the name of Life,

and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia has been pronounced on you.

You have been baptised with the baptism of Bihram the Great,

son of the Mighty (Life).

Your baptism shall protect you and attain its end.

The name of Life and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia are pronounced on you."

Sign thrice and grasp their right hands in the kušṭa (rite).

Then recite and pass (your finger) over your (own) face – your own sealing.

And then they shall stand up before you.

Recite over the pihta and mambuha

and give them pihta that they may eat

and mambuha that they may drink and take their right hands in kušṭa.

Then make them sit before you and read the sealing (prayer) and lay your hand on their heads.]

Sealing prayers

Prayer 25

In the name of the Life!

When a yardna of living water (Water of Life) was bestowed on

Sam-Smir, the great Radiance of Life,

992,000 myriad 'uthras, sons of light,

opened their mouths,

praising Manda ḏ-Hiia.

Praised be Manda ḏ-Hiia;

praised be Yawar-Ziwa;

praised be Bihram and Ram;

praised be Tarwan-Nhura;

praised be Nbaṭ the first great Radiance;

praised be Nṣab and Anan-Nṣab;

praised be Sar and Sarwan;

praised be that great and mighty Mana;

praised be that great Presence of Glory;

praised be that whole abode of those at rest;

praised be all the ways and paths of the Almighty (Life);

praised be all the mighty celestial worlds of Light;

praised be all those occult dwellings (shkinata);

praised be that Voice, Strength, Word and Command

which come from the House of Abathur;

praised be Abathur-Rama;

praised be the myriad 'uthras

who stand in the presence of Abathur;

praised be Šilmai and Nidbai

the guardian 'uthras of the yardna;

praised be our father

Hibil, Šitil and Anuš

the head of the whole race.

Turn back,

thrust back from me,

Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš

and from these souls who have descended to the yardna and been baptised,

terror,

fright,

fear of devils and demons,

shedim,

demon visitants,

ghosts,

amulet-spirits,

liliths,

gods,

angels,

demons of high places

and shrines

and idol-spirits:

(all those) that the seven planets and the lords of the House

[set] loose against souls in this world.

Manda ḏ-Hiia!

Lift up your eyes,

(behold) your devotees,

your offspring and your priest!

Behold us who stand in this place

which is all evil things!

At the great Door

which is all principalities do we stand,

amongst the wicked,

and dwell amongst sinners.

Deliver us from this world which is all sinners

and from the sorceries of the children of Adam and Eve.

Forgive us that which we have done,

and that which we do forgive us.

Forgive us, Looser of sins,

(our) trespasses, our follies, our stumblings and our mistakes.

If you dost not loose us

from our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings, and mistakes,

no man is clean in your sight

Manda ḏ-Hiia!

Accept, (O) Life,

Your prayer from the Occult

and assure (to us) bliss in Your light

in the name of Sharhabiel the great First Radiance.

May the words of Sharhabiel the Great First Radiance,

be established for all who love his name of Truth.

And for me, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš

may darkness be overcome

and light set on high.

And Life be praised.

Prayer 26

In the name of the Life!

Bound (together) and sealed are these souls

who went down to the yardna

and were baptised in the name of the Great Life.

They have been baptised

with the baptism of Bihram the Great.

Their souls have been secured

with bonds of righteousness

and with the bonds of Zhir, the great light of Life.

And Life be praised!

Prayer 27

In the name of the Life!

We were set up and raised up by 'Uṣar-Hiia:

through 'Uṣar-Hai and Pta-Hai

union with the House of Life came to us:

Manda ḏ-Hiia went to us

with radiance that is great and light that is powerful,

with our mana, our sign, our way, our yardna and our baptism;

with Hauran our vestment;

with Hauraran our covering

and with Hazazban our klila.

I call on the mighty, sublime, all-surpassing Life,

supreme over all works and I say to It,

"Behold, behold,

Great Life, us who at Your name,

Life, descended into the yardna and for Your name's sake,

Life, we took our name and our sign

from the great Yardna of Life

and from the great source of healing,

at the word of Truth

and (the power) to uplift of Yukabar-Ziwa."

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 28

Bound (together) and sealed are these souls

who descended to the yardna and were baptised.

By Hauran-Hauraran, the out-thrust of the Great Life:

by Its names,

by Yufin-Yufafin

and Sam-Mana-Smira;

by Yusmir, vehicle of the First radiance;

and by the being Yukabar, the (well-) equipped 'uthra;

seal and guard these souls

who descended to the yardna and were baptised,

against the deities of the House,

lest they gain dominion over them.

(Protect them) from their devils and demons

so that they shall not go near them

nor harm them nor ruin them.

Let all pains, diseases, afflictions and tumours

be removed from them.

Let all evil sicknesses and malignant curses of the body

be removed and driven off,

so that those who sit before You like men attainted

shall stand up like clean men.

And healing shall be theirs,

those souls who went down to the yardna and were baptised.

And Life is victorious.

[Recite these four "sealing" prayers #25-#28,

with a loud voice to the souls whom you have baptised after you have given them pihta and mambuha.

If (several) souls,

recite as written;

if a single soul,

say "for this, the soul of N."

Then make them stand and recite #29.]

Prayer 29

In the name of the Life!

Ye are set up and raised up

into the Place of the Good.

Established amongst manas of light

are these souls which went down to the yardna

and were baptised.

(and those) of our fathers and teachers

and of our brothers and sisters

who have departed the body

and those who are still in the body.

There, in the light

shall ye be raised up.

And Life is victorious.

[Here recite #30]

Prayer 30

In the name of the Life!

"What did your Father do for you, Soul,

The great day on which you were raised up?"

"He took me down to the yardna, planted me,

And took (me) up and stood me upon its bank.

He broke and gave me bread (pihta),

Blessed the cup and gave me thereof to drink.

He placed me between his knees

And pronounced over me the name of the Mighty (Life)

He passed into the mountain before me;

He cried loudly that I might hear,

That I might hear he cried loudly,

'If there is strength in you, Soul, come!'

'If I climb the mountain I shall fall;

I shall overturn and perish from the world!'

I lifted mine eyes to heaven

And my soul waited upon the House of Life.

I climbed the mountain and fell not,

I came (thither) and found the life of my Self.

"What did your Father do for you, Soul,

The great day on which you were raised up?"

"He took me down to the yardna, planted me,

And took me up and stood me upon its bank.

He broke and gave me bread,

Blessed the cup and gave me thereof to drink.

He placed me between his knees

And pronounced over me the name of the Mighty (Life).

He passed into the fire before me;

And cried aloud that I might hear,

That I might hear he cried aloud,

'If there is strength in you, Soul, come!'

'If I go into fire I shall burn,

I shall scorch and perish from the world!'

To heaven I lifted mine eyes

And my soul waited upon the House of Life.

I went into fire and burned not,

I came, and found the life of my Self.

"What did your Father do for you, Soul,

The great day on which you were raised up?"

"He took me down to the yardna, planted me,

Took me up and stood me upon its bank.

He broke and gave me bread,

Blessed the cup and gave me thereof to drink.

He placed me between his knees

And pronounced over me the name of the Mighty (Life).

He entered the sea before me;

He cried aloud that I might hear,

That I might hear he cried aloud.

'If there is strength in you, Soul, come!'

'If I go into the sea I shall sink,

I shall be overturned and perish from the world!'

To heaven I lifted mine eyes

And my soul waited upon the House of Life.

I went into the sea and was not drowned,

I came, the life of my Self I found,

Yes, Life! lo, Life!

Life has triumphed over this world.

And Life is victorious.

[This is a baptism hymn. ...]

Prayer 31

Radiance goes up to its place

and Light to the Everlasting Abode.

On the day that Light arises,

Darkness returns to its place.

The Forgiver of sins, trespasses,

follies, stumblings and mistakes

will remit them for those

who love his name of Truth,

and for those souls

who went down to the yardna,

were baptised and received the pure sign.

Consuming fire will consume you

and your ministration will be (noted?) in the habitations.

The fragrance of life rises to the House of Life,

and we (too) will rise up to the House of Life:

we shall be with the victorious.

It is our support, and our confidence is in life

in the Place of Light and in the Everlasting Abode.

Life is established and set up in its indwellings,

and Life is victorious over all works.

[This is the "loosing" (consecration) of incense for baptism.]

[colophon]

Book of Gadana

Prayer 32

In the name of the Great Life.

May there be healing for me,

Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš!

Strengthened, enhanced was the great mystery of radiance, light and glory

dwelling on the mouth of the First Life,

for from It came forth Manda ḏ-Hiia.

For he knew and interpreted the thoughts of the First Life

and perceived that they are wondrous.

And Life be praised!

[Recite this prayer and hold your stole for the masiqta.]

Prayer 33 (mambuha)

In the name of the Life!

Water of Life are you!

You are come from the Place which is life-giving

and are poured forth from the House of Life.

(At your) coming, Water-of-Life,

from the House of Life,

the good come and refresh themselves,

(but) the wicked are discomfited and the children of (this) world abashed

and say "Is there (not?) room for us in the Place of Light?

For those that seek (ask) of it find,

and those who speak of it are heard".

We have sought and found

and we have spoken and been heard in your presence,

Manda ḏ-Hiia, lord of healings.

As water when poured out falls on the earth,

so (too) so doth evil fall abased before good.

As the water falls on the earth,

so shall their sins, trespasses,

follies, stumblings and mistakes

be loosed from those who love the name of Truth (kušṭa)

and from the souls of this masiqta,

and from (the souls of) our fathers, teachers,

brothers and sisters who have departed the body,

and those who (still) live in the body

And say "Established is Life (or "the living")

in Its (their) dwelling".

And Life is victorious.

[This is the mambuha prayer]

Prayer 34 (riha)

Hail to the First Life before Whom none existed,

the Sublime from worlds of light,

the Ineffable which is above all works;

to the Ancient Radiance and the Great Primal Light,

the Life which emanated from Life

and the Truth that was of old, from the beginning.

Hail the ancient, lofty, esoteric and guarded father of 'uthras.

Hail Yuzaṭaq, Manda ḏ-Hiia, Source of Life;

He who unveils the silence,

gives hope and keeps the prayers of the spirits and souls

of righteous and believing men into the Place of Light.

Hail to the life of sincere and believing men

who have come to their end and departed the body,

and hail to those

who are stiff alive in the body.

May the gate of sin be barred to them

and the gate of light be open for them.

May they be knit together in the communion of Life

in which there is no separation.

Pray ye from there for us

and we will pray from here for you.

All fruits wither:

all sweet odours pass away,

but not the fragrance of Manda ḏ-Hiia,

which comes not to an end nor passes away

for an age of ages

and for world without end.

May the souls of this masiqta rise up

without sin, trespass, folly, stumbling and mistake

unto the Place of Light and to the Enduring Abode.

And Life be praised!

[Read this ordinance for the incense and cast it on the fire.

Then recite the prayers for the masiqta.]

Prayer 35

In the name of the Life!

I sought to lift my eyes, shoulders and arms towards

the Place which is all life, radiance and glory,

the place where which is all life, radiance, light and glory;

a place where they who seek of it find,

those who speak of it are heard

and to those who ask of it,

it is given them,

day by day and hour by hour.

This hour I address to you,

my Lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

a vital petition,

large and not small,

for this congregation of people

who have bent their knees to the ground

and stretched forth their hands

to the intermediate and upper (worlds).

They have forsaken images,

pictures and idols of clay,

gods (made) of blocks of wood,

and vain rites,

and have testified

to the name of the great, strange (sublime) Life.

To them the gate of sin is closed

and for them the gate of life is open.

May our request, our prayer

and our humble submission rise

before the supreme Life

which is above all works.

Before you (in your sight)

all hands are thieving,

all lips have lied.

Water is in the yardna.

Before you (in your eyes), Manda ḏ-Hiia,

no man is clean:

we are slaves who are all sin,

and you a lord who are all mercy.

When you are with us,

who shall conquer us

and if you justify us

who will convict us?

Judge us not after the fashion

of earthly courts of law;

despise us not

for our follies

and associate us not with the false rites

practised by the worlds and generations.

The worlds thrust hard at us,

but we fell not.

Backed by the Truth which is your own,

we have perfect confidence.

Establish life, and will you

not establish human beings?

You have spoken to us in your Word

and have commanded us with your command

"Ask on earth

and I will supply you with heavenly fruit:

ask from below, (from) reed, swamp and mud,

and I will supply you from the lofty heavens.

Make supplication with the fleshly right hand,

and I will bring you (what ye asked) with the right hand of kušṭa.

The first (generations) sought and found:

let those that come after seek,

and they will find.

Seek and find for yourselves,

for your friends,

for your friends' friends

and for those who love the great Family of Life.

Your eyes shall not turn away from me unsatisfied."

You are the father of all the 'uthras,

the Support which is all light,

the Vine which is all Life

and the great Tree which is all things.

For You know hearts, understand minds

and search out consciences

(even) in the nethermost hells of darkness.

Like a servant lying prostrate before You,

our eyes are lifted to You,

our lips give You praise and blessing

7 hours of the day

and the 3 watches of the night.

Those who seek of Him find,

and to those who ask of Him it will be given.

For to him that stands at a closed door

You will open the closed door.

In the Place of Light

You will wipe away and remove from us

our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes

and will cast them into the hells of the earth

and the nethermost limbos of darkness.

You will raise us up as sinless and not as guilty,

as virtuous and not as vicious before you,

Manda ḏ-Hiia.

The good behold and are refreshed:

the wicked are discomfited

and the children of (this) world abashed.

And they say

"Is there no place for me in the Place of Light,

since those who seek therefrom find,

and ask thereof and it is given them?"

We beseech you to let some of your radiance,

your light and your glory rest upon us.

You are the Healer above all means of healing,

a Raiser-up above (all) that raises up,

a Radiance above all radiancies

and a light above all lights.

For you open doors of truth

and reveal mysteries and wisdom

and show forth mighty deeds in Jerusalem.

You confin demons and devils

and frighten away the gods from their high places.

Great is your name

and praised is your name!

You are the counterpart of the Life,

for you were in existence before all.

You are the Vine,

for you were in the Ether

above heaven and above the earth.

When worlds came into being

and creations were called forth,

you did hold in your grasp

the worlds and generations.

You have laid down a road for sincere and believing men

to the Place of Life.

(Though) spirits and souls sit (here) as guilty,

(yet) by your name they shall rise as innocent,

(your name of) Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia.

To support the hands of good people,

you will be (bring?) healing of life

to the souls of this masiqta

Life is established in its indwellings

and Life is victorious.

[This prayer is good for all occasions:

(it may be used) on occasion for the Rahmia (daily office),

or for the masiqta,

or for baptism and for all purificatory rites.

For the masiqta,

after you have recited over the pandamta,

"water of prayer"

and the ordinance for the incense,

pray "We have acknowledged",

"Praises",

"To You",

"Lifting eyes"

and "I sought to raise my eyes".

And prepare the pihta,

mambuha and klila (klila) and set them out for the masiqta.

And recite the ordnance for the oil,

(placed) in somesing clean:

in a glass or tin cup when washed and cleansed.

And recite the masiqta.]

Pihta prayers

Prayer 36

In the name of the Life!

I worship, laud and praise

that great, secret, First Mana

who abode for 999,000 myriads of years

alone in his own Abode -

for no Companion came to him;

(none existed) save that great, secret, First Mana.

For he came into existence therein

and developed therein.

Then I worship, laud and praise

that great, occult, First Drop who emanated from Him.

They existed,

(but) She abode for 444,000 myriads of years

in Her own Abode, alone,

for She had no consort.

Then I worship, laud and praise

Pirun, that great occult first Vine

from whom there emanated

888,000 myriads of 'uthras.

From Them and from those 'uthras

proceeded one 'uthra,

whose name is the Great Countenance of Glory

who is (at once) less than his brethren

and more venerable than his parents.

Manda ḏ-Hiia, the well-prepared 'uthra,

divulged and revealed and said,

"Any Naṣoraean man who sits to recite

"Established is the First Life"

and breaks bread will receive condemnation from the House of Life,"

And I am established,

in the light of Life.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 37

I worship, laud, and praise

that Occult, great First Cloud of Life,

with whom in secret, he broke bread and gave thereof in secret

to the Occult Life and to the Mighty First Life.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 38

I have worshipped and praised Yawar-Ziwa,

who arose and praised that great mighty Mana

at whose right and left hand

there stand 444,000 myriads of 'uthras.

A thousand myriads of 'uthras, sons of light,

worship and laud the rays of his Radiance.

He arose and broke bread in secret

and gave thereof to the sons of men

and establishes his Abode in secret.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 39

I worship, laud and praise

that secret saying which Yawar pronounced secretly.

He made it known, and divulged and established a Life-ray therein.

Radiance and light came and dwelt at his right

and glory and resplendence dwelt at his left.

And the 'uthras entreated the Life

that they might behold the Likeness of Yawar-Ziwa

in their own glory.

Yawar-Ziwa the vigilant 'uthra divulged and revealed and said,

"64 sins daily will be forgiven

a Naṣoraean man who repeats this secret saying,

in the Great Place of Life

and the Lasting Abode".

And Life is praised.

Prayer 40

I have worshipped and praised 'Uṣar,

who broke bread for the hidden first 'uthras,

so that they (find) rest in their hearts.

The holy 'uthras stood in their dwellings

and praise the mighty Life in its dwelling,

adorable in Its radiance

and wondrous in Its light.

I worshipped and praised that supreme First Vine,

for within it is its Sap:

its leaves are 'uthras and its tendrils rays of light.

'Uthras sit in its shade.

And within the great first Cloud of Light

there came into existence,

within the Treasure-of-Light there was generated,

the Secret Mana.

And Life be praised.

Prayer 41

I worshipped and praised Treasure-of-Light,

the great Awaker (yawar) of Life,

who broke bread in the Hidden

and gave (thereof) to the Mighty First Life in Its dwelling.

I praised the seven mystic precious and preserved manas

who derived existence from Their Place

and were transplanted from Their Treasure-house.

I worshipped and praised the mighty First Life that transported Itself from Its Place,

transferred itself from its own Treasurehouse

in which it came into existence,

was developed, dwelt and was established;

and (whereof) It discoursed and wherein It had gloried.

It praises and speaks,

"Every Naṣoraean who recits these secret sayings will seek and find,

will speak and be heard seven times daily.

And seven sins will be forgiven him

in the great Place of Light and Eternal Abode."

And Life be praised!

Prayer 42

I worship, laud and praise

that first secret Word which Yawar imparted in secret.

He expounded and explained it

and established therein that which is living,

Rays (of his light).

And Yawar said "Enlightenment and praise have come to pass".

And Yawar came and his glory rested upon his own dwelling.

Radiance and Light came and were established before him:

Glory and Enlightenment came and dwelt at his right hand.

And the 'uthras ask the Life to behold

the appearance of Yawar-Ziwa in their (its?) radiance,

and to commend the prayer and praise

which they pronounced to Šilmai and Nidbai,

the 'uthras who are

the two messengers of Manda ḏ-Hiia

Yawar has said,

"Every Naṣoraean who repeats this secret prayer 7 times daily,

7 sins a day shall be forgiven him.

And Life abids in its dwelling".

Life is victorious.

Prayer 43

You are enduring,

First Life before Whom no being had existence,

Unearthly One from worlds of light,

Supreme Being that are above all works,

above the Ancient Radiance and above the First Light;

above the life which emanated from Life

and above the Truth (kušṭa)

which was of old in the Beginning!

You, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

have established for your chosen

that which you have revealed to us

from the book Nhur (Be light)

and from Pta uṣra (They revealed treasure)

and from 'Uṣar Nhura (Treasure of Light),

a solace, a great support of life,

that which shines in light,

the light of which enlightens.

It (Manda, gnosis) came into being, was revealed, fulfilled

and went forth in strength abundant

and became mighty by growth of knowledge.

It increased in radiance and was full of light

which proceeded from the Counterpart (?) of Life,

a wondrous counterpart!

Thereupon the worlds were ashamed,

for none had seen its like,

its brilliance or its glory.

Kušṭa stands by his friends

and Manda ḏ-Hiia by his chosen ones.

For you have chosen (us),

host taken us out of the world of hatred,

envy and disputes and have set us firmly

on paths of truth and faith,

so that we stand and praise

the holy and guarded place.

And he who partakes of this bread (pihta),

put out (for him) will be sinless

in the Place of Light, the Everlasting Abode.

And Life is victorious.

[These are the prayers appointed for the pihta].

Prayer 44 (mambuha)

Biriawiš, source of living waters,

first upsurging that sprang forth,

great outburst of the radiance of all-abundant Life!

(Be) life for the souls of this masiqta.

[This is the appointed prayer for the mambuha,

If there are (several) souls,

read as written;

if one soul say 'for this the soul of N.']

Prayer 45 (mambuha)

Your name, (O) Life, is excellent:

its glory is great,

its light abundant,

Its goodness came over (or overflowed),

inaugurating the First Mystery,

life which proceeded from Life and Truth

which existed before the beginning.

This is a wellspring of life

which sprang forth from the Place of Life:

we drink thereof,

of this Fount of Life which Life transmitted

was established in the House of Life,

which crossed worlds,

came, cleft the heavens

and was revealed.

You have shown us that

which the eye of man has not seen,

and caused us to hear

that which human ear has not heard.

You have freed us from death

and united us with life,

released us from darkness

and united us with light,

led us out of evil

and joined us to good.

You have shown us the Way of Life

and have guided our feet into ways of truth and faith

so that Life comes and expells darkness

and goodness comes and casts out evil.

(Like) the mingling of wine with water,

so may Your truth, your righteousness and your faith

be added to those who love Your name of Truth.

And Life be praised.

[This is the set prayer for the mambuga (sacramental drink).

Make the pihta and the mambuha masiqta,

and then make the klila.] and place them (ready for) the

Prayer 46 (klila)

In the Name of Life!

The Light became light,

the Light became light!

The Light became the light

of the First Life.

Glory dawned and (there was) praise

of the Mana who came from his Place.

He came (with) all ether-klila,

with benefits that are from the Place of Light

and the Everlasting Abode.

Yufin-Yufafin was the weaver of the klila;

she who brought it was 'Nisbat'-Utria (She-planted i.e. was the mother of uthras).

And he who set klila on was 'It-Yawar-Ziwa (There-is-dazzling-Radiance) son of 'Nisbat-'Utria:

he brought it and set it on the head of the Mana,

planted it (there) so that it was set up (thereon).

The klila flames

and the leaves of the klila flame.

Before the Mana there is radiance,

behind the Mana there is light and glory,

at either side of the Mana are radiance, brilliance and purity;

and at the four corners of the heavens

and on the seven sides of the firmament

dwell silence, bliss and glory.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 47 (klila)

Enlightened and enlightening are words of light

to the souls of this masiqta.

Sure, assured, armed

and prepared, resplendent and beauteous (are they)

when the klila with its mysteries is set

on the heads of these souls of this ascent (masiqta)

to the great gate of Abathur's house.

They will open to them

the great gate of Abathur's house

and will guard them by secret and watchful manas.

And Life be praised!

[These two prayers are said over the klila in the masiqta.]

Prayer 48 (miša)

In the name of the Life!

Manda ḏ-Hiia went to the stars.

His appearance loosed the bound (souls):

he knit (them into?) the communion

that is without parting and without limit or number,

by his word which issued from him in that place.

All the worlds were confounded:

the works of the House were destroyed

and there was security for sons of the Great Family of Life.

He planted his planting

and descended to the earth,

(where) the hand of Evil,

of the Lord of the House,

lay heavy upon them.

And when wickedness oppressed them,

they beheld his radiance,

and some of the celestial fruits appeared to them,

the strength and name of the Ineffable One

Who is all light was revealed to them

and some of His glory was communicated to them

and Knowledge of Life (Manda ḏ-hiia) was revealed

to all who love his name of Truth at the place

which is wholly (inhabited by) those convicted of sin.

And when they beheld him,

the lords of the worlds

were confounded but did not, from their thrones,

loose (the bonds of) the captives.

He passed by:

the captives were freed.

He loosed them from their sins and trespasses:

yes, release from their bodies was made possible to them.

And (as for) the lords of the House who looked on,

their ranks were discomfited

and they were unable to reach him.

Yes, the name of Abathur was (set) over them

and the name of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia was fulfilled

and revealed to those who love his name.

And his name shall (aid) the souls of this masiqta:

it will be his name.

And Life is victorious.

[This is the recitation appointed for the masiqta.

Read it over pure oil in somesing (pure?)

and place it before you and then read the masiqta.]

Prayer 49

In the name of the Strange (Sublime) Life!

This, the glory and light of life,

is to bring forth the spirit and soul from the body

and to clothe the living soul

in a living garment.

Yes, she is solaced and lives,

the counterpart of Life,

she that emanated from a Dimat of Life,

with the Outer Life,

with Hauraran and Karkawan-Ziwa,

with Treasure-of-Light,

the solace and great support of life,

with life that emanated from the Life

and with the truth

which existed of old in the beginning,

They live in their shecinahs,

and the Great Light (abids) in its purities.

When any human being departs from his body,

there come towards him

seven godlike appearances,

and each stands by his own,

And Ṣauriel the Releaser comes –

he who releases spirit and soul from the body.

Up there, with those works, he stands with

the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia

which releases (the soul).

And Hauraran and Karkawan-Ziwa remove from her

that in her which is of the body,

and she putts on

the dress of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia.

Garment on garment she putts on,

she arrays herself in robe after robe,

When she weares the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia there,

she laughes, rejoices, leaps for joy,

dances, exults and is overjoyed

about the glorious splendour resting (upon her)

and the glory that accrues to her.

Onward she goes

in the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia,

The planets who are in their places

were out of coutenance on seeing it:

they clenched their fists,

beat on the forecourt of their breasts and say

"Woe on (us) planets!

for they (we) are powerless,

but the works of Their hands are victorious!"

And they say,

"How beautiful is this radiancy,

how steadfast this light,

how lovely this glory

and how wondrous this appearance!"

And they ask,

"who will clothe us with this radiance?

Who will cover us with this light

and who will shed on us this glory?

And what is it that passes before us in this guise?

for it is fair, shining and bright:

in this world nothing made can be compared to it!"

And they exclaim,

"How good is Kušṭa to the good,

and Manda ḏ-Hiia to all his chosen,

(those) who stand in their bodies

and dedicate themselves to the name of the Life

and to becoming (thus)!"

She goes on

in the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia

and they let those deeds of hers pass by

and (escape) the hands of all the planets.

And on she went and reached Abathur's house of detention,

(Abathur), the Ancient, Lofty, Holy and Guarded one.

There his scales are set up and spirits and souls

are questioned before him as to their names,

their signs, their blessing,

their baptism and everything that is therewith.

The soul of N. has entered the House of Abathur

and has given her name,

her sign, her blessing,

her baptism and everything that is therewith!

The souls of our fathers

were signed with the sign of Life

and the name of the Life

and the name of Manda ḏ-Hiia

was pronounced over them.

They put them in the scales,

putting in their deeds and rewards and weighed them.

And the perfect went in (also),

the spirit with the soul,

but they took them out (for they were) clean.

Radiance issued from the radiance of Abathur

and clothed them and they brought light

and covered their (therewith).

(Like them) she (the soul) put on garment on garment

and robe over robe

like the vestments of Abathur.

There she laughes, rejoices,

leaps for joy, dances, exultes

and is overjoyed about the glorious splendour

which rests (on her) and accrues to her.

And she proceeds in the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia

and went on and reaches the watch-house (house of detention)

of four beings, sons of perfection,

'In-Hai, Šum-Hai, Ziv-Hai and Nhur-Hai.

Each of these beings clothes her with his radiance

and each coveres her with his light.

Garment on garment she putts on,

with garment after garment doth she clothe herself.

When she puts on the vesture of the sons of perfection

she laughes, rejoices, leaps for joy,

dances, exults and is overjoyed

about the glorious splendour,

the honour resting on and belonging to her.

She proceeded

in the vesture of Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia

and went onwards

and reached the Waters of Death.

The waters covered her,

(but) Radiance crossed over -

his name abode in his dwelling:

honoured and chosen,

he created himself - and said,

"Life, I am Thine,

and for Your name's sake came I forth

from the world of Pthahil,

from amongst evil plots

and from beneath the throne of Abathur the Ancient,

so that we tray bring out this soul of N,

of this masiqta (so that) she comes before him".

He is the ray of the great radiance of Life,

a being who rests upon the dwelling,

and upon dwelling doth his name rest.

He grasps her with the palm of his right hand

and hands her over to two 'uthras, sons of light,

to Adatan and Yadatan,

of one gnosis and one mind.

And Adatan and Yadatan

hand her over to two 'uthras,

to 'Uṣar-Hai and to Pta-Hai

who open the Door of Life,

plant the plant of Life

and establish the first counterpart of the House of Life.

They raised her up

beside the living they bring her in,

in the likeness of Life

they support her in the Place

where radiance, like light, flames.

And the spirits of N. went

and became of the same nature as the soul

and was established in the House of Life.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 50

Rightly did the baptist baptise me (in the waters of?)

Yaluz-Yaluz for their spring is Hammamulai.

My name, Ksasar-Hamamulai

is spoken, disseminated, guarded, hidden and pure.

They (the waters?) knew the source

from which they proceeded:

its name was on the sky,

its glory on the earth.

For upon treasure, in treasure,

the Great Life existed

and was fulfilled in Its glory.

I sit on a perfected garment

and by the great fountainhead of Yukabar-Hiia,

beneath a Vine which rises above me.

Praise-of-Life stands before me.

"Who will manifest himself and come and speak to me?"

"I am he who is manifest, for I am great".

The life that is beneath me is

the Vine which rises above me,

Praise-of-Life stands before me.

This is my name and my sign

which I received from waves of water

and from treasures of radiance

and from the great and lofty Mixing-Bowl (?).

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 51

In the name of the Life!

I am baptised in the name of the Strange Life,

the Sublime (Being) above all works.

I am established in the name of Treasure-of-Light.

"I looked upon the Life and the Life looked upon me,

and in the Life put I my trust.

When this the soul of N.

casts off her bodily garment,

she shall put on the dress of life

and become a facsimile of the Great Life in light."

Yawar from the House of Life revealed (himself?) and shone forth,

establishing his counterpart,

transplanting the Great Life in his light.

The worlds thrust at us,

but we fell not;

backed by Your truth,

we have confidence.

The first sprout has burst forth -

a ray of the great radiance of Life in its triumphs;

Truth (Kušṭa) and the great Source (kana) of its glory.

And Life be praised!

Prayer 52

Whose son am I?

(Of?) the guarded Mana who is Yusmir,

the First Great Radiance,

son of the great Primal Life,

who pondered and went forth seeking His own,

that which came from Him.

The congregation of souls,

on the last day,

when departing from their bodies,

rejoice in Him, embrace Him and rising up,

behold the outer ether and the enduring Abode

and praise the Great Life in Its light.

And Life is victorious!

Prayer 53

A letter, union and victory

have come to this the soul of N.

from the House of Life.

Its fastening is water,

its klila is light,

its weapon the living word,

and its seal the Chosen, the Pure One.

Every man who opens it and reads therein

shall live, be whole,

and his name will beset up

in the House of Life

in the name of the Great Sublime Life.

And the First Life is established in Its dwelling.

[This is the seal of the masiqta.

Up to this point recite the masiqta,

and here take the pihta and break off a morsel from one upper faṭira and the undermost faṭira and bring a portion of the Ba and fold them together.

And mingle the "water of prayer"

with the wine and recite over them #54

and recite #55

and part your pandama and eat your pihta and drink your mambuha and recite "The Water of Life burst forth in splendour in its dwelling.]

Prayer 54

Yukašar chose her that passes (crosses) over;

he chose her, called her forth and established her.

He clothed her in radiance ineffable

and brought light abounding and covered her therewith.

He raised her up to the Great Place of Light

and the everlasting Abode,

and in his own dwelling his (the dead man's) soul was assigned (a place)

and found rest in his treasure.

Living waters (water of Life) from the House of Life

burst forth (in splendour) and (like them?)

shall shine forth the souls who are called upon,

raised up and signed in this masiqta,

(the souls of) our fathers, teachers, brothers and sisters

who have departed the body,

and of those who still live in the body.

They shall rise upward on a smooth road

and by the path of the perfect,

shall behold the Place of Light

and the everlasting Abode

and be established by Him

who opened (revealed) the great first light.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 55

The Great Life spoke

and revealed (opened) with His mouth,

in His own radiance light and glory.

And Life be praised.

[This is for the loosing of the pandama.

Recite this #54

over the "water of prayer"

and wine when they are mingled together.

If it is for (several) souls that he has recited read as written,

but if for a single soul say "the soul of N., shall be awakened".

And say "The Great Life spoke and opened with His mouth"

and part your pandama,

eat your pihta and drink your mambuha.

And recite "The living water shone forth in its place"

then rise, and read one prayer alter another

until the (prayer) #54

has been offered up.]

Prayer 56

In the name of the Life!

Living waters shone forth (in splendour) in their dwelling.

The robes of the good were resplendent in their place.

The great Mana was dazzlingly bright in His glory.

So (too) shall these living,

(brightly) shining, steadfast and vigorous souls shine in splendour

in the great Place of Light and the Everlasting Abode.

[This is a prayer of dedication for the "water of prayer"]

Prayer 57

Fragrant incense rises to its place

and You, Life, be victorious!

The Forgiver of sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes

will forgive all those who love his name of Truth (Kušṭa) (likewise) the soul of N.

And Life is victorious.

[A dedication prayer for the incense]

Prayer 58

In the name of the Life!

Praised be the First Life,

praised be the Word of the First Life:

praised be that radiance, light and glory;

praised be that Light which is boundless and endless

and none know when it came into being.

Praised be the Lord of Greatness

and praised be all the 'uthras

that stand to the right and left of the Lord of Greatness

and praise the Lord of Greatness.

Praised be my father Yawar,

praised be all the 'uthras

who stand and praise my father Yawar.

Praised be that great first Yardna

in which the First Life was baptised.

Praised be all yardnas of living water:

praised be the fruits, grapes and trees which stand by them.

Praised be all the mighty and lofty worlds of light;

praised be all those sanctuaries (shkinata) of the Hidden

for in each and every dwelling sit a thousand thousand 'uthras,

('uthras) without end,

and the myriad myriad sanctuaries that are countless.

Praised are those thousand thousand 'uthras without end

and the myriad myriad sanctuaries beyond count.

Praised be all those banners of radiance, light and glory

unfurled before them which give them light.

Praised be the great gate of the House of Abathur;

praised be all 'uthras who stand before Abathur and praise him.

Praised be the 360 scales

which are set up before the ancient Abathur;

praised be that first great Scales

that was set up before Abathur the Ancient.

Praised be that great occult Drop from which he proceeded.

Praised be all 'uthras who sit upon thrones of rest

and recite ordinances and masiqtas and secret prayers.

Praised be those recitations, masiqtas, and secret prayers

in which the Great (Life) is praised.

Praised be those priests who sit with them.

Praised be all mountains of radiance, light and glory;

praised be all roads and paths of light.

First Life!

Lift up Thine eyes upon these souls

called upon, raised up and signed in this masiqta

and (the souls of) our father, brothers and sisters

who have departed the body,

and of those who still tarry in the body.

Deliver them, save them and protect them

from this world of the wicked

and from those watch-houses (purgatories).

Let your mercy, Great First Life, rest upon them.

And ye shall say "Life is established in its indwellings".

And Life is victorious.

[This is an offering-up of supplications.

It is the dedicatory prayers of the masiqta.

Pray "We have acknowledged",

"Praises",

"You, Yourself",

"Raising eyes"

and "I sought to raise my eyes".

If you recite for (several) souls read as written,

if it is one soul say "Lift your eyes upon the soul of N"].

Prayer 59 (pihta)

Life is fulfilled in its own glory

and the Great Light established by its victories.

[This is the prayer offered up for the pihta].

Prayer 60 (mambuha)

The Great Life dwells in those that love Him,

and His devotees dwell in the Great Place of Light and the Everlasting Abode.

And Life be praised!

[This is the dedicatory prayer for the mambuha.]

Prayer 61

An earthly klila fades,

but the klila of Life is fresh and living.

The klila of an elect righteous man is set

and shines on the heads of those who love the name of Truth (Kušṭa).

The klila is from the world of light

and the robe from the Everlasting Abode.

The ether-klila is set, with its purities,

and shines on the heads of these souls of this masiqta.

And Life is victorious.

[This is the prayer put up for the klila of a masiqta.

If you recite for several souls,

read as written,

but if for a single say "on the head of this soul of N."]

Prayer 62

The worlds glisten (with costly) oil,

but Naṣoraeans shine with the radiance of Life.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 63 (miša)

In great radiance am I immersed

and in steadfast light am I established.

Manda baptised me,

Kušṭa confirmed me.

A letter, communication (communion) and purity

came to me from the House of Life.

Its fastening is water,

its klila is light,

its weapon the living word,

and its seal the chosen, pure one.

Every man who opens it and reads therein

shall live, shall be whole

and his name will be set up in the House of Life,

in the name of the great Sublime Life from worlds (of light?).

And Life is victorious.

[This is the prayer offered up for the masiqta oil.]

Prayer 64

The Life dwells in its own radiance and light.

And Life be praised!

[This is the confirmation of the (prayer) #54

Here recite #65

and the masiqta-hymns.]

Prayer 65

Ye are set up and raised up into the Place

where the good are established amongst manas of light,

the souls called upon and raised up

and signed by this masiqta

and (the souls of) our fathers, our teachers,

our brothers and our sisters

who have departed the body,

and of those who are (still) living in the body.

Your manas shall be set up in the Light

and ye will be established in the Light.

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 66 (Left Ginza 3.43)

In the name of the Life!

I am crowned with a klila and lay me down

In a dress in which there is no blemish.

No spot is there in the dress,

Nor is there aught missing or lacking in it.

The Life knew about me.

Adam, who slept, awoke;

He grasped me with the palm of his right hand

And gave (not?) into my hand a palmbranch.

Light cast me into darkness,

But the darkness was filled with light.

The day that light arises,

Darkness returns to its place.

The souls of this masiqta

Approach a cloud of light.

Their journey is

to the Place of Light.

And Life be praised.

[This is a masiqta hymn]

Prayer 67

With him, with the Deliverer

The souls of this masiqta will ascend.

They will behold the Place of Light

And the Everlasting Abode.

On their road the Seven will not detain them,

Nor will the Judge of the False question them.

The Life will count you in His reckoning

And the good will set you up in their midst.

To the place to which the good go they will guide you

And in the place in which they stand they will set you up;

Lamps of radiance are found before you,

Beams of light behind you.

Kušṭa will come at your right

And Piety will smoothen your path.

For you there will be loosings

From here to the Everlasting Abode.

For the ferry which ferries over the Elect

Will set out towards you and take you across.

(Then) from Abathur of the Scales

A saviour will come forth towards you.

The saviour that comes towards you

Is all radiancy and light from head to foot

Like the klila in his right hand.

And on his two arms is a robe.

Bestir yourselves!

Put on your robes!

Put on your living klilas, gird on your girdles

In which nothing is awry or blemished.

Above your head there will be fruit,

And there, at your time and season

Your manas will be set up in the Light.

Your manas in the Light will be set up.

(So) rise up, behold the Place of Light!

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 68 (Left Ginza 3.20)

Between the Hidden and the Radiance,

Between Light and the 'uthras,

Between the Hidden and the Radiance

Stand those who question the soul,

Saying to her

"Speak! say, soul,

Who constructed you?

who was your Builder?

Who built you

and who was the Being, your Creator?"

The soul spoke and said –

The edified, well-constructed soul spoke –

And says to the Being who questions her,

Said to him,

"My father, One built me,

One constructed me"

One was the Being who transplanted me;

One of the sons of salvation in his goodness

Took (accepted) his lot (duty).

He folded me in a wrapping of radiance,

Took (me) and gave me over to Adam.

Adam, in his simplicity,

whilst he knew not nor understood,

Took and cast me into a physical body;

Took me and cast me into a physical body

That is all sour and bitter fluids

and decaying substances.

(There) the soul remains and waits

in the hostel of the body

Which he had bequeathed her:

sits and watches over it

Till its measure and count were accomplished.

When its measure and count were accomplished

The Deliverer came to her;

To her came the Deliverer

Who loosed her and bore her away:

(Yes), he who had bound her,

who had loosed the soul,

Went before her whom he had bound.

Coming behind him,

the soul hasted

Reached her Deliverer,

ran (after) him

Who had bound her

to her dwelling.

The soul and her Deliverer (go):

Her course is to the Place of Light,

To the place whose sun goes not down,

Nor do its lamps of light grow dim.

To it, and to that place, those souls

That are called upon in this masiqta

And signed by this sign,

are summoned and invited.

They shall behold the great Place of Light

And the abiding Abode.

And Life be praised.

Prayer 69

Bliss and peace there will be

On the road which Adam attained:

Bliss and peace there shall be

On the road which the soul traverses.

The soul has loosed her chain and broken her bonds;

She has shed her earthly garment.

She turned round,

saw it and was revolted

She uttered an evil curse on the being

Who had clothed her in the body.

She provoked the Framer-of-Bodies,

she roused him

From the lair in which he lay.

She said to him,

"Rise up, look, Framer-of-Bodies;

The hollow of your hand is filled with water!"

The voice of the Framer-of-Bodies (is heard),

Who howls and weeps for himself

And says,

"Woe is me that the hollow of my hand

Is filled with water!"

And to her he says,

"Go in peace,

daughter of the free,

whom In the house of evil ones

they called handmaiden.

Go in peace,

pure pearl that was transported

From the treasuries of Life;

Go in peace,

fragrant one who imparted

Her fragrance to the stinking body.

Go in peace,

radiant one,

who illumined her dark house.

Go in peace,

Pure and chosen one,

immaculate and spotless!"

Flying, the soul went

Until she reached the House of Life:

She arrived at the House of Life.

'Uthras went forth towards her,

Saying to her,

"Take and put on your robe of radiance

And set on your living klila!

Arise, dwell in the škintas,

The place where `uthras abide, conversing;

And Life is victorious

and triumphant is Manda ḏ-Hiia

And lovers of his name".

And Life be praised!

Prayer 70

Blessed and praised be Life

Who is filled with compassion for these souls.

Praised be you,

my lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

For you raisest up these souls and dost not condemn them.

Praised be you,

pure Yušamin,

For you will give them your helping hand.

Be ye praised,

Šilmai and Nidbai,

For ye will give true witness concerning them.

And be ye praised,

Hibil, Šitil, and Anuš

For ye will ransom them from the House-of-Dues

And from Abathur of the Scales!

For toward you will go forth a messenger,

And the messenger who goes toward you

Is all radiance and light from head to foot.

In his right hand a kind of klila

And on both his arms a robe.

Up! put on your robes,

set on your living klilas!

Gird on your girdles that are flawless and faultless!

Above your heads there will be fruit,

And your lamps will hang amongst lamps of light

And will shed light.

The Lord of Tolls will not confront you

Nor will lying judges put you to the question.

They will bring you liberating words

From here unto the Everlasting Abode,

The building that was built for you in the House of Life,

Will not come to nought in an age of ages!

And may some of Manda ḏ-Hiia's radiance and light

And the revivifying-breath of Life rest upon us!

Blessed is the Voice of Life

And praised be the great Beam which is all light.

And Life be praised.

[After you have recited "The Life dwells in its own radiance and light",

"Ye are set up",

"I am crowned with a klila and lay me down",

"With him,

with the Deliverer",

"Between the Hidden and the Radiance",

"Bliss and peace there will be",

"My vigilance and my praise giving",

"Go in peace, Pure Chosen one",

"Well, well is it for you, soul"

and the other hymns,

as many as you are able,

then recite the "Blessed and praised is Life"

of Shem son of Noah.

If you readest for (several) souls,

read as it is written,

but if only for one soul,

say "The soul of N."

and pay attention,

with all watchfulness,

clearness of mind and studious attention and recite #72;

perform Kušṭa with one another and recite #63.

And pray a prayer for yourselves and make pihta and mambuha for yourselves and eat your pihta and drink your mambuha

And offer up the prayer #72,

perform Kušṭa with one another for yourselves and (then) honour your crowns.]

And Life is victorious.

Prayer 71

In the name of the Life!

Blessed and praised be the Life!

Blessed and praised be the name of Life

in the Place of Light!

Blessed and praised are you,

my lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia;

You and your strength,

your radiance, your light,

your glory and your help.

Praised are you,

my father Yušamin the Pure,

Son of a transplanting of the mighty Life.

Praised are you,

Second Life,

Life that is from Life.

Praised are ye,

Šilmai and Nidbai,

guardian 'uthras of the yardna.

Praised are ye,

Nṣab and Anan-Nṣab.

(Praised are)

our fathers Hibil, Šitil and Anuš

The name and chief of the whole race.

Praised are you,

Lofty Abathur;

Blessed and established is the great dwelling in which you sittest.

Praised are ye four beings,

sons of Perfection,

who go to meet the good;

Go forth to meet the good and clothe the good with robes.

Praised are you,

Earth of Light and blessed and praised Those who dwell in you.

Blessed are you,

Road of the great,

path of the perfect,

and track that rises up to the Place of Light.

Blessed are you,

Naṣirutha from whom the elect learn;

from you learn the elect,

and deal out reward and pious gift

They deal with reward and pious gift

and rise up and behold the Place of light.

Praised are you,

yardna of living water,

for from you we obtain purity;

We obtain purity from you and receive the pure sign.

My fathers beheld the Life

and my teacher the Place of Light.

The 'uthras of light are victorious,

And victorious Abathur and the sons of Perfection

Who stand, praising the Life.

Enlargement of life there shall be for the believing

Who have departed out of our midst;

The believers, the poor,

the lowly and priests.

And my lord Manda ḏ-Hiia

will lend them his helping hand.

Thankfully received are the good gifts (tabuta) of life,

The good gifts of life and of knowledge of life,

The pihta that .....

at the name of the Life.

For any man who gives an oblation,

His oblation will be his helper:

elect and perfect men

Who bestow oblations will rise by Kušṭa's path.

To them it shall be given.

Of the Ether-klila

they twisted them a klila

Of speech and hearing,

of joy, purity,

goodness and greatness.

A klila from the Vine Ruaz

He will set on the heads

Of those souls called on, signed, and raised up by this masiqta;

(And the souls of) our fathers,

our teachers, our brothers and our sisters,

of those who have departed the body and those

who are yet in the body.

(A klila like that) set on Its head by the Great (Life)

And by the Great (Life) given to 'uthras

And given by 'uthras to their priests.

Healer, whose medicine is water, come!

Be you a healer to your devotees,

To your devotees be you a healer

And to him that gives oblation be you a helper:

On him whom you have healed,

do you, My lord, bestow soundness.

Behold him who stands before you

and condemn him not.

My Lord, High King of Light, Revealer

Whose eyes are uncovered, seeking justice

And enacting justice for those who love it,

Do justice on those who persecute us,

Those persecutors who pursue us,

And on the wicked and furious ones

Who scheme to work evil upon us.

If it please You,

High King of Light,

Look on us and condemn us not!

Behold these souls who believed in You

And for Your name's sake stood by on earth

And were persecuted.

Show us pure ether-air

So that we may forget earthly persecution,

That we may forget the persecution of earth

And the vexation of the wicked and liars.

Strengthen our insight, our voice,

our vigilance and our praise!

Thereby the Great Life communed with you

And set you up completely (?) with His radiance

And His light, Manda ḏ-Hiia!

And may the vivifying-power of Life rest upon us.

My elect, ye shall say "Blessed be the Voice of Life

And praised be the great Beam which is all light!"

And Life be praised!

[This is the "Blessed and praised be the Life"

of Shem son of Noah.

Afterwards,

read here "Blessed and praised be Life"

of the souls,

and then recite #72.]

Prayer 72

Good is the Good for the good,

and His nature is set upon those who love His name.

We will seek and find,

speak and be heard.

We have sought and found,

have spoken and been heard in your presence,

My lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

Lord of all healings.

Forgive him his sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes

and (those of) him who furnished this bread,

masiqta and (ritual) food.

My lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia

and (You) Great First Life,

forgive the sins, trespasses,

follies, stumblings and mistakes

of the donor(s) of fee and oblation,

and their wives, children, their priests

and those who placed (brought) this bread and food;

(likewise) you, my parents, teachers,

instructors and preceptors when ye support

from the Left to the Right.

And ye shall say "Life be established in Its Dwellings and Life be praised;

Life is victorious over all works.

[Recite this "Good is the Good for the good"

when you read a masiqta.

When you perform a baptism recite it,

when you distribute oil recite it,

when you recite the Rahmia ("Devotions"

recite it,

and after the Rahmia.

And recite it when you partake of the (ritual) dish.]

And Life is victorious.

Engirtas

Prayer 73 (Left Ginza 3.27)

In the name of the Life!

A sealed letter which leaves the world –

A letter written in good-faith (kušṭa)

And sealed with the seal of the Mighty (Life) –

Righteous men wrote it,

believing men tied it on,

And suspended it about the soul's neck

And despatched it to the Gate of Life.

The soul, in her wisdom,

Pressed her nail on the letter,

Her nail she pressed on the letter;

She imbued it with her mystic radiance,

Wrapped it and veiled it in her light.

How came it that Daium saw

That the soul bore a letter?

How was it that Daium saw it

As her seven sons gathered about her

And said,

"Who has written the letter

Whose secret no man knows?

Who wrote the letter that is sealed in

By these protective strands?"

The letter is written in good faith,

And sealed with the seal of the Mighty (Life).

Righteous (men) wrote it,

believing men tied it on

And hung it about the neck of the soul

And despatched it to the Gate of Life.

The soul flies and goes until she has reached

The watch-house of the Seven.

The Chief-of-Dues, when he saw her,

(And) the Governor, when they saw her,

Murmur discontent and say,

"Who has written the letter

Whose secret no man knows?

Who wrote letter that is sealed

By these protective marks?"

"The letter is written in good faith

And sealed with the seal of the Mighty (Life).

Righteous (men) wrote it;

Believing men tied it up

And hung it about the neck of the soul

And despatched it to the Gate of Life".

The soul flies and travels on

Until she reaches spirits of Purgatory.

The spirits of Purgatory abased their heads

And the soul passed the purgatory-spirits by.

The soul flies and goes

Until she came to the waters of death.

As she reached the waters of death

There came forth towards her

A great Beam of radiance (and) of life,

(who) Grasped her by the palm of her right hand

And brought her over the waters of death.

The soul flies and goes

Until she reaches the House of Life.

When she reached the House of Life

She uttered a cry to the House of Life,

And when He heard her call,

the Life sent a messenger towards her,

(Who) grasped her by the palm of her hand,

Conducted her, (came) to support her

In the likeness of the Life to the place

Of radiance, light and beams of effulgence;

To unite her to (the company of) 'uthras

And to set her up amongst beams of light.

Upon her head they placed a klila of ether

And took her out of the world in splendour.

Life supported life:

Life found Its own:

It has found Its own,

and my soul has found

That for which she hoped.

And Life is victorious.

[Up to here recite over the flask of oil as it is put into clay up to the mouth of the bottle.

And the clay must be pure and from the yardna.]

Prayer 74

Bound (secured) and sealed are the spirit and soul of N.

by the seal of Kušṭa

and the great safeguard of truth

by the word of Kušṭa

and the raising (power) of Yukabar-Ziwa.

And Life is victorious.

[This is the conclusion of the "Letter".

Set (press) your seal-ring and the nail of your little finger of your right hand into the clay,

seal it and read this conclusion over it.

And Life is victorious].

[colophon]

Hymns of praise 75-77

Prayer 75

In the name of the Great Life!

May there be healing, victory,

strength, soundness,

speech and hearing

for me, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš,

from the Life!

We have acknowledged and praises (are due)

To the mighty sublime First Life,

The Ineffable which is over all works.

(I come), bringing (dedicating) my head and my mouth

To the Life and to the implanted Word

And to 'Uṣar-Hiia,

the great solace and support of Life

In order to praise, honour, magnify,

bless and exalt You.

(Yet) who shall praise You, Life?

And who, Life, shall magnify

the greatness of Your victories?

You are lauded,

You are magnified,

you are glorified

And You are exalted!

(For lo) You are come,

You came and none but You came.

At Your radiancy the riders were afraid,

At Your light gates and kingdoms were troubled.

On seeing You the Yardna turned about,

the waves of the sea rolled back

And the islands of the sea

were thrown into confusion,

Chariots were overthrown

and they fell on their faces.

Cedars of Lebanon were rent,

mountains shook and leaped like stags.

They opened and gave praise.

Does in the desert shed their young untimely;

The heights arise and speak in (Your) honour.

The earth trembled and was shaken.

Yardna!

whom did you behold

that you did turn back?

Waves of the sea!

wherefore did ye roll back?

Isles of the sea!

why were ye thrown into confusion?

Chariots!

wherefore did ye overturn

and fall on your faces?

Cedars of Lebanon!

why were ye rent?

Mountains!

wherefore were ye shaken

and why did ye leap like stags?

(Why) did ye open and give praise?

Does in the desert!

on account of 'Whom did ye miscarry your young?

Heights!

in Whose honour

did ye arise and speak?

Earth!

Whom did you behold

and (at what) did you tremble?

"At the Radiance

which surpasses all radiance,

At the Light

which surpasses all lights,

And at the Good Being

who crossed the worlds

And came and cleft the firmament

and revealed Himself."

When the Life gazed (down)

and looked on the earth

And Its Glory alighted

upon the roofs of Its Building,

(Lo!) they were sitting

on thrones of rebellion.

They got down meekly from their thrones

And fell upon their faces.

It eclipsed and took away

The glory of the worlds and generations

And quenched the flames of their lamps.

It set the eyes of the planets

in the depths of the earth

And in the lower glooms of Ilarkness.

Spirit (Ruha) lifted up her voice,

She cried aloud and said,

"My Father, my Father

Why did You create me?

My God, my God, My Allah,

why have you set me afar off

And cut me off and left me

in the depths of the earth

And in the nether glooms of darkness

So that I have no strength to rise up thither?"

All arose, prayed and praised

the majesty of mighty (Life)

And their voices sang

to the Glory that is mighty

Praising the Radiance

which surpasses (all) radiance

And the Light

which surpasses (all) lights,

And the Good Being who crossed the worlds,

Came, cleft the firmament and revealed Himself.

He sundered Light from darkness

and sundered Good from Evil,

He sundered Life from Death,

And He brought out those who love His name of Truth

From Darkness to Light

and from Evil to Good

And from Death to Life

and set them on roads of Truth and Faith.

And You have spoken to us with Your Word

And have commanded us with Your commandment -

"Be My glory

and I will be your Glory.

Be my light

and I will be your Light.

And my name shall be in your mouths

And I will be with you".

You are He who overthrows

(false) gods in their high-places

And brings reproach

on the divinity of (false) deities.

They were broken down by shame on their way

And deep ignominy befell their temples

And fettered their might.

Great is the splendour

in which Manda ḏ-hiia is arrayed!

Blessed is that day of light,

praised is that dawn

On which You did travel

and come from worlds of light!

(That day) is not reckoned in a count of days.

Nor in a reckoning of months;

Except that day on which You were revealed

from worlds of light.

We will reveal to them,

that day on which You were revealed,

To all who love

Your name of Truth (kušṭa).

We offer up

our commemoration,

our petition,

our prayer,

Our submission,

our ṭabuta

and our faith In Your presence,

(O) 'Uṣar-Hiia,

Delight and great Support of Life.

Were we to stand and praise You,

Your name, Your title and Your goodness

seven times a day, my Lord,

Who could praise You, Life,

Or magnify (worthily) the greatness of Your victories?

Can the stinking body praise You?

or the vain tongue?

Were our mouth like the sea,

our lips like its waves

And our tongue like cleft mountains,

Then might we praise You, magnify You,

honour You and bless You!

You knows him who feares You with his heart

And him who confesses you with his lips.

With a pure mouth be You blessed

And lauded with a tongue of praise.

Supporters who do not waver,

interpretations of Truth (kušṭa) which vary not praise You.

Sons of Perfection beside You,

(an) endless, countless and everlasting (company),

all shining with reciprocal radiance,

Praise You, for amongst them

all hatred, envy and dissensions exist not.

The Place which is all portals

of radiance, light and glory praises You.

The ancient, lofty, occult and watchful One,

Abathur, who sits according To his rank,

like the Life, praises You,

The 'uthra Pthahil praises You and says to You,

"Blessed are You,

my Lord, Manda ḏ-Hiia

And praised and blessed is

the Place from which You came:

praised, magnified and honoured

is the great Place from which You came.

And praised, magnified and honoured

is the great Place To which You go."

Elect righteous (men)

from lower sanctuaries praise you;

for Your knowledge, Your wisdom,

Thine understanding and Your goodness

do they praise You.

You have come!

You come and are ready to reveal Yourself.

You are immeasurable, infinite and everlasting.

You are the Father,

You are the Brother,

You are the Son;

You are the Source,

You are the great Root of Life;

You are the First,

You are the Last,

You are the Future,

for You prepare Yourself to come

And did depart in order to reveal Yourself.

Put far from us Your wrath

and bring near Your mercy.

Turn back, push back,

remove and make impotent

Angels of wrath,

frost and hail from my land.

And my house - mine,

Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš -

In the twinkling of an eye

and at a turn of the wheels,

(Let) our petition, our prayer and our submission

Rise up before You, Manda ḏ-Hiia!

That which we have done forgive us,

And that which we do, forgive us,

(For) You, (O) Manda ḏ-Hiia are a forgiver

of sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes.

If You, (O) Manda ḏ-Hiia,

did not forgive

our sins, our trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes,

Who would stand guiltless before You, Manda ḏ-Hiia?

Slaves are we, who are all sin

And You the Lord who are all mercy.

Before You, all hands are thieving and all lips lying;

In Thine eyes, Manda ḏ-Hiia (even) Yardna-waters are not cleansing.

(Set for) righteous and believing people.

Causing our spirit and souls to dwell in abodes of Life

According to the purpose of the Life

And the will of the three 'uthras.

And according to the will

of Manda ḏ-Hiia, sublimest of beings,

and according to the will

of the Four Beings, sons of salvation.

In Your presence there will be restoration

For our spirit and our souls.

You will clothe us with Your radiance

And cover us with Your light

And will stand us before You with the innocent

And not with the guilty;

With the richly-endowed and not with the lacking.

Knowledge of Life is Your name,

Truth is Your name.

Pure is Your name,

magnified is Your name,

Honoured is Your name,

blessed is Your name

And abiding is Your name.

Victorious are You

And victorious is Your name.

Victorious are the words of Truth

which proceed from Your mouth Over all deeds.

Make victorious and establish

This my soul (the soul of) Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnuš.

And Life is victorious over all works.

Prayer 76

In the name of the Life!

Praises to the Outer Life

Whom Ye caused to dwell without (beyond),

The abode that has limit.

For Your eyes are open to (discern) Your own,

Your ears listen at Your Place.

Praises to that one great name of Life

Which is above all names.

Its name rests on the great Place of Light,

On the everlasting abode and on the city of 'uthras,

And on the Beam who was greater than all beams,

With Whose fight all beams shine

And by Whom all souls are justified;

Who establishes our strength and cutts us not off

From the House of our trust;

Who restores our souls at the House of Ransom

On the Day of Judgement,

and perfects our souls

On the great Day of joy.

Praises (be) to One

Who is all the 'uthras,

And to One

Who is all prayers,

and to the Predestined One

Who came and remained for our commemoration

And who was established

in the presence of Outer Life.

(One) on whose mouth Life rested and whose praise

Was established without.

Praises, praises to the Ancient, the First,

To the Son of the great Primal Life

Whom Life called,

prepared, armed and sent Him forth

to the generations.

(Lo) You came and did open a door,

You did level a road and tread out a path,

Did set up a boundary-stone

And did knit together a community.

You were Helper, Saviour and Guide

To the Father of the great Family of Life,

And did knit it together in a Communion of Life,

Did build it into a great Building of sound construction

And did bring it forth

to the great Place of Light

And the Everlasting Abode.

O callers whom I have summoned!

O nourishers whom I have nourished!

O builders whom I have raised up

And brought out from amongst the peoples, nations and tongues!

Behold, here I stand!

Behold, here I dwell!

Worlds against whom I guard myself

Though your words are not far from my face,

If ye take mountains (of food) as your viaticum for eating,

They will not satisfy (lit. "complete") you.

If ye take seas for your drinking

They will not make you perfect (content you).

(But) if with perfections ye stand before the Outer Life

And before the Eternal Abode,

I will count your number,

And your reckoning shall be reckoned.

Betimes I will come and will fly

And will reach the sons of my Name, the sons of my Sign,

And the sons of the great Family of Life.

I will bind you together into the bundle of Life

And I will build you into a great Building of Truth

And will bring you forth to the great Place of Light

And to the Everlasting Abode.

If there is no hatred, rancour, or dissension amongst you

The hand of the unbartablas (customs-officers?) will not search amongst your garments;

Ye will not pass over the Bridge

Nor walk in a narrow street;

Ye will not stand before the judge

Nor look on the countenance of the Adversary-at-law;

Nor will ye see an averted face.

The chief customs-officer will not question you.

Ye will go forth:

ye will behold the Perfecter of Souls,

One who sets on paths of surety

His friends that are made perfect,

A great comrade of the faithful,

One of the great band of souls,

Who will come out toward you

And clothe your souls in a garment of radiance

And in good pure vestments of light

Which he will bring you from the Great Place of Light

And the Everlasting Abode.

He will bring out toward you klilas,

A klila of victories.

And every leaf of your klilas

will (weigh) 1,080 mithqals.

Its brilliancy will exceed the brightness of the Sun

And its light outshine the light of the moon.

Ye will receive your vesture and will receive your klilas

In the presence of the Great (Life).

Ye will be great, and called 'uthras amongst the 'uthras.

Ye will open your eyes and behold your Judge.

Betimes will the dayspring dawn upon you,

In strength ye will arise and behold the Outer Ether

And the great Beam who is all light,

Who was set up before the Great Life:

He whom Life created, prepared and sent forth

To the ages and to the worlds.

And every man who gives oblation;

And took part in the communion from beginning to end.

They will make as perfect as the mamas,

Like rays of light he will be made to shine

On the day of deliverance,

on the Day of Redemption,

The great Day of Joy;

so that his righteous act Stretches onward.

It will precede you and will uplift,

Showing you the Outer Ether and the everlasting Abode,

The place which is ancient,

(of) Primal Beings,

And sons of the great Family of Life.

They eat of that which is imperishable

And drink that which is not wine,

eating well and asking solace.

And an 'uthra of Life comes and rests upon them

day by day and hour by hour

Praises (be) to the fame of the righteous

And to the existence of Chosen Elect (men),

And to the Unearthly Being who stands without,

Whose eyes are open and fixed upon those

Who love his name of Truth (kušṭa) -

You are he, Manda ḏ-Hiia!

For you know about that

in which the perfect man is made perfect,

And about the virtuous man,

in what his virtue consists.

And the Lie,

of what doth it consist.

Not a word issues

from the mouth of a perfect man

But you know it,

have understood and expected it

In the great Place of Light

and the Everlasting Abode.

the mountain doth not boast

its strength,

nor a hero

his doughty deeds,

Nor doth a bowman

vaunt his bow,

nor the physician

his drugs,

Nor the righteous and sage man

the utterance of his mouth.

Not so:

it is an 'uthra of Life which comes

And rests upon Your devotees.

And those who seek from Him shall find,

and to those who ask of Him

It will be given.

Day by day, hour by hour,

behold us who stand in Your name

and are upheld by (calling on) Your name.

We hold to Your Leader of the great company of Truth

We have held staunch because of Your victories.

Humiliate us not; cast us not into the hands

of tormentors, Liars, hypocrites and the censorious.

Let not torturers strike us nor condemners damn our souls!

The good will see and will be found ready,

(But) The wicked will be discomfited

and the children of the world be shamed

Perfected (souls) will see that the Life exists,

And will direct their gaze

to the great Place of Light

and the everlasting Abode.

You, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

call the caller,

nourish the nourisher,

build the builder,

exalt horns,

enlarge footsteps

and set up a road,

and do knit together in communion.

You are He who constructs, and who takes out

from amongst the peoples, nations and tongues

every man who is summoned, worthy and invited.

To every man whose term of life is over You

will be a Helper, Saviour and Guide

to the great Place of Light

and to the everlasting Abode.

As to one whose term is incomplete

and he stands (lives) in the body,

(able) to open his mouth,

lift up his voice,

pray his prayers

and to offer up his praise,

and whose feet can walk to my House,

your 'uthra shall come and shall rest upon him,

Your friend.

Diffuse Your light over all who love

Your name of Truth (kušṭa).

You have spoken with Your Word

and have commanded us with Your commandment,

"Over your words My Word has precedence:

and at the raising of your right hands (towards Me?)

My right hand will be lifted towards you.

Ye will call,

and I will answer you quickly.

Ye will seek My hand

and I will not withhold it (from) your hands".

We will pray with You the 'uthras' prayer

and ask of You, of the Great (Life),

a petition

for ourselves,

for our friends,

for our friends' friends

and for those who love the great Family of Life,

for the whole Naṣiruta of Life,

fulfilled and disseminated on earth.

You will bring us some of Your radiance,

you will lend us some of Your light.

We will enter into Your radiance

will go forth in Your light,

will rise in Your name

and be kept right by Your nature.

Truth is Your name,

Knowledge of Life is Your name,

precious is Your name,

magnified is Your name,

victorious is Your name,

victorious are the words of truth

which issue from Your mouth,

and victorious are all Your deeds.

And Life is victorious!

Prayer 77

In the name of the Life!

You (O) life,

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

First Life, Second Life and Third Life,

Yufin-Yufafin and Sam-Mana-Smira

And the Vine which is All-Life

And the great Tree which is all healings.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

‘Uṣar-Hai and Pta-Hai

Who open (reveal) the pihta of Life

And transplant a planting of Light,

And install the First Counterpart In the House of Life.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Nbaṭ

The First great Bursting-Forth (Emanation),

The exigence of Life in Its nature.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

The Lord of Great Fruition.

the great and high Being who was fruitful,

begetts and produces Great fruit for Himself.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Yukabar-Ziwa,

who increased in his brilliancy

And was great in his light.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia,

the life which proceeded from Life,

The truth (kušṭa) that was aforetime, in the Beginning;

Who was mightier in His radiance than the worlds of light.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Has,

the Stem of splendour, radiance, light and honour

Whose branches are a thousand thousand and its tendrils

A myriad myriad.

Well is it for him

Who has looked on that Tree!

Bihram, who saw it, lived, shone, was cured and established

And his name has not died.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Ṣanaṣiel,

who stands at the Gate of Life

And prays for spirits and souls.

He interprets silence, inspires hope

And takes in keeping in the World of Light

The prayers of pious and believing people.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Haiasum-Kušṭa,

messenger of Life,

The Word of the first chosen elect (men).

He crossed the worlds,

came, pierced the firmament

And revealed himself.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Bhaq-Ziwa,

who is called "He acted and succeeded in his skinta.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Yukašar,

source of radiance who bestows radiance and displays his fight.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Biriawis,

the strong source (kana),

The Kana took thought so that its radiance increased.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Ayar,

the pure Vine which abids

In the great and lofty Treasure-house of Light.

(Meet it is) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

The pure Yušamin

who rests upon The treasures of the waters

And upon mighty wellsprings of light.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

The 'uthra Tauriel,

the being who rests by The pastures of the water.

When a fragment from the little finger of his right hand fell (off?)

There was consternation on earth,

And vexation (?) in the world of falsehood.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Adatan and Yadatan,

who stand at the Gate of Life

And praise and extol Life,

And pray for the spirits and souls

Of righteous and believing people

In the Place of Life.

(Meet is it) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Šilmai and Nidbai, two 'uthras

Delegates of Manda ḏ-Hiia

Who are active and do (the work of) the Life.

With kušṭa and with the testimony of the Life

They immerse living, shining, bright and well-doing souls

Who go in sincerity to the Yardna (and are baptised)

(But) not in the name of gods or of a messiah!

(It is meet) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Šum-Hai, Rhum-Hai, ‘In-Hai and Zamar-Hai,

Four Beings, sons of perfection,

Who come towards sincere and believing people,

And take them out of bonds (Tied by) the hands of the wicked

And from beneath the claws of scheming men;

And lift them up to the great place of Light

And to the Everlasting Abode.

They knit them into the Bundle of Life

And build them into a great Building Of sure strength.

(It is meet) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Hibil, Šitil and Anuš,

Sons of a Stock which is living, light-giving,

Vigorous and sturdy:

Beings that cannot be taken by the sword

Nor consumed by flames of fire;

Nor swept away by floods of water;

Nor will the thongs of their sandals

Be dipped in the water.

They were judged and were justified;

They sought and they found;

They strove and reached the Great Place of Light

And the Everlasting Abode.

(It is meet) to praise, honour, magnify and bless

Ṣihiun, and Pardun, and Kanfun,

'Uthras whose names, each one,

are in the House of Life;

And the 'uthras Adam-Kasia, Bihram and Ram

whose names are each one in the House of life,

(but) their nature is two two, (dualistic?)

And the names of righteous and believing people

Will be established in the Place of Light.

Your name gives out light,

Your name is illustrious,

Your name is pleasing

and Your name raises up.

Your name is victorious

and victorious are the words of truth

Which issue from Your mouth,

(victorious) over all works.

Make victorious and raise up this my soul,

(The soul of) Adam-Yuhana sun of Mahnuš!

And Life is victorious over all works.

[colophon]

Enianas

Prayer 78

In the name of the Great Life!

May my thought, my knowledge and my understanding

Enlighten me, Adam-Yuhana sun of Mahnuš,

By means of these responses and homilies

for baptism and the masiqta.

Prayer 79

In the name of the Great Life!

When the myrtle, the myrtle, flourished

In the gardens of Hibil;

When the wild marjoram

grew in the precincts of the manda,

They gave me two twigs of myrtle

From which they twisted a klila for the yardna.

For it is wondrous

and fragrant is its perfume!

[Recite this hymn and twist a klila for your staff,

then read the yardna-hymn #80.]

Prayer 80

In the name of the Great Life!

Hear me, my Father, hear me!

Draw me upward (O) Great One,

son of the mighty (Life),

Our Father,

son of the Lite!

Šilmai and Nidbai, lords of the yardna,

hear me!

Yardna, and both its banks,

hear me!

Hear me, Hibil-Ziwa,

whose strength rests upon his brethren, the 'uthras!

Hear me, Yawar-Ziwa,

(you) whose creations rest on (depend upon?) the yardna!

Hear me, Mana-Rba-Kabira

And raise that which ye have planted!

Hear me, hear me, Habšaba and Kana ḏ-Zidqa,

Hear me, hear me, Abathur-Rama,

whose strength presides over the Scales!

Hear me, great Bihram!

and raise me up Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia!

Hear me, (ye) Seven Mysteries

which reside in the Great Wellspring

Hear me, (ye) three wellsprings

which give out radiance, light and effulgence!

Hear me (ye) three manas

Who rest upon the yardna with your treasure!

Hear me, Anuš-'Uthra,

Whose strength dwells upon me!

Prayer 81

In the name of the Great Life!

Hear me, my Father, hear me!

And draw me upward,

great Son of the mighty (Life);

Our Father, Son of the Life!

Šilmai and Nidbai, lords of the yardna,

hear me!

Yardna and its two banks,

hear me!

Habšaba and Kana ḏ-Zidqa

hear me!

Hear me, Great Life,

from the height, Hear me!

Prayer 82

In the name of the Great Life!

At the Fountain-head came I forth,

At the Source of springs of life went I hence.

Three škintas did I found

And set over them guardians as rulers.

The guardians I appointed to rule over them

Are sublime, blessed and trusty

To the uttermost.

[Repeat this hymn when you are baptising and take up the mambuha into the phial from the yardna,

and recite the prayer "At the Fountain-head of Water came I forth"

and then recite #20.]

Masbuta hymns

Prayer 83

In the name of the Great Life!

How lovely are plants

which the yardna has planted and raised up!

Pure fruit have they borne

And on their heads they set living klilas.

Yawar-Ziwa rejoices in the good plants

Which the yardna planted and raised.

The Plants rejoice and flourish

In the perfume of Manda ḏ-Hiia

Which breathes upon them.

Prayer 84

Truly did my baptiser baptise me,

Well did my baptiser baptise me,

Truly did my baptiser baptise me

And your baptism shall attain its end.

Prayer 85

Šilmai has baptised us with his baptism,

Nidbai has signed us with his pure sign,

The great Anuš-'uthra has placed

living klilas on our heads.

Prayer 86

The yardna in which we have been immersed

Shall be our witness

that we have turned not away

From our sign, nor have altered our pure Word.

Prayer 87

I rejoice in my priests

And in Naṣoraeans who listen to my speech.

I rejoice in you, my priests,

For you have not changed my pure Word.

Prayer 88

In the name of the great Life!

May the sublime Light be magnified!

Rightly do I say to you, my Chosen,

Who went up with me to the yardna,

Pervert and change me not,

alter me not by hand,

Pervert not nor alienate me,

Men who have heard the Voice of Life!

He who heares the voice of Life

Will be edified,

Will be built up,

Built up and armed.

(Such a man's) strength will be doubled.

Moreover, those who listen to the speech of the Life

Will be greatly increased,

Will be enriched and will not lack.

Into the communion that is great will he be knit,

He will enter the communion that is great

So that he will be united (therewith) and will arise

And will behold the Place of Light.

And Life is renowned and victorious,

And victorious the man who went hence.

Prayer 89

In the name of the Great Life

The great Light be magnified!

To you do I call and (you) do I teach,

Men who have received the Sign.

Hearken not to the talk of all peoples and generations;

Let not their stumblings cause you to stumble,

Stumble not because of their stumblings!

Be not interrogated at their tribunals,

At their tribunals be not interrogated!

Certainly have ye held to established truth,

Ye have held to the certainty about which I instructed you.

I call to my chosen ones so that

Ye may not turn your thought away from Me.

Because any man who is not steadfast (in thought)

Whose mind is turned against me,

Whose mind is turned from me,

Great and not small will be his hurt.

If ye have attained my strength

Bear (arms for) me!

If ye bear (arms for) me firmly

Stand by me frombeginning to end!

But it ye have not attained my strength (or army)

Go from me, and approach not!

For he that enteres it and beares (arms) for me,

His "garment" will be adjusted to the House of Perfection.

But he that weares it and doth not perfect it

Will die and his spirit will extinguish,

He will die and extinct will be his spirit,

He will become the portion of the world,

You have conquered, Manda ḏ-Hiia, Good One,

who confirms Your friends!

Renowned and victorious is Life

And victorious the man who went hence.

Prayer 90

In the flame of the Great Life

The sublime Light be glorified!

A disciple am I, a new one;

For I went to the yardna-bank

And took my name on my head

And in my heart I took a Sign,

My Sign is not that of Fire,

Nor is it that wherewith the Anointed One

My Sign is a yardna of living water,

The strength of which none can attain,

He chose one out of a 1,000

And from 2,000 he chose two,

Making traders of them

Who labour and ply their trade on earth.

And they trade for fee and pious gift,

And shine more than sun and moon.

I came to the congregation of souls,

For the Life sent me, sent me forth.

There were some who bought my wares,

There those who came to their end and lay down.

There were those who bought my wares.

The eyes (of such a one) were filled with light,

Filled with light were his eyes

(On) beholding the Great (One) in the House of Perfection,

There were those who did not buy my wares.

They went on, reached their end and lay down.

They were blind and saw not,

Their ears were stopped and they heard not

And their hearts were not awakened

To behold the Great One in the House of Perfection.

As They called them and they answered not,

When they call, who will answer them?

Because it was given to them but they took not,

Who will give to them when they ask?

They hated the Way of Life and its Abode

But loved the abode of the wicked.

And lo! in the abode of the wicked

Will they be held captive.

They tied up their tribute, their money

In a lappet of their clothes.

When they wish to lift their heads (hold their heads high)

They hurl them down to the Gates of Darkness.

To my Chosen do I call, to my Plants

Who stand by the yardna.

I say to them,

"My children (who walk) in my road,

My children (who follow) my road,

Swerve not from it or its boundary!

Let him who deviats from its boundary

Cling to the boundary-stone.

He who has turned aside from both

will fall into the uttermost ends of the world".

You host conquered, Manda ḏ-Hiia,

Good One, who confirms his friends!

You will forgive us who praise our Lord

Our sins and our trespasses.

Renowned and victorious is Life

And victorious the man who has gone hence.

[Up to here are the hymns and chants of baptism;

and from here to below are the hymns and chants of the masiqta.]

Masiqta hymns

Prayer 91

My vigilance and praisegiving

Are my ferrymen across (the waters of death);

A transformation brought me over,

A cloud of light took me over.

In purity shalt you rise

to the Place of Light.

Prayer 92 (Left Ginza 3.4)

In the name of the Life!

Go in peace, chosen, pure and guiltless one;

You are without spot.

You have proven yourself by (your sojourn on) earth

And your destiny leapt upward from its struggles

From its struggles your destiny leapt upward.

Above all the world you have spoken.

Chosen and pure one (saying),

"I am a seer, a diviner;

A seer am I and a diviner!"

The worlds assembled for judgement,

For judgement the worlds assembled

And judgement was pronounced on them,

On them was judgement pronounced,

On those who did not perform

the works Of right-dealing Man.

But you alone,

Chosen and Pure One, Fair mana,

that are burnished bright,

You go not to the judgement hall.

Judgement will not be pronounced over you,

Over you judgement will not be pronounced;

Because you did perform the works

Of right-dealing mankind.

This, that they endure and bear,

You (O) Chosen One,

will not find before you.

Escape the clutch of the planets

And the forces of this wvorld!

Take, put on your garment of radiance,

Set on your living klila!

Bow yourself!

and worship!

Prostrate (yourself)

and praise the Great Life.

Praise the Place of Life

To which your fathers go.

You (O) Chosen One,

Were not from here;

From this place

you were not transplanted Your planting,

your place was the Place of Life,

Your home the Everlasting Abode.

They have set up for you a throne of rest

In which there is no heat or wrath.

There is kept for you a girdle

In which there is no trouble or fault.

Good one! Rise to the House of Life!

And go to the Everlasting Abode!

They will hang your lamp amongst lamps of light

And they will shine in your time,

and lit your moment.

Arise! Behold the Place of Light!

Renowned is Life and victorious

And victorious the man who went thither.

Prayer 93

The mana rejoices in its treasure

And in the glory of Life

Which rests on it.

I have acknowledged you

(O) elect righteous one,

For you settest my soul free

From transitory things.

Prayer 94 (Left Ginza 3.3)

Hail to you, hail to you, soul

That have departed from the world!

You leave corruption and the stinking body

In which you have been:

(you lean) Its abode, the abode of the wicked,

The place which is all sinning,

The world of darkness,

Of hatred, jealousy and dissensions,

The abode in which the planets go about,

Bringing pains and blemishes,

Pains they bring, and blemishes,

Every day causing them tribulation.

Rise up, rise up, soul!

Ascend to your first homeland.

Rise, rise to your first homeland,

The place from which you were transplanted,

To the place from which you were transplanted,

To your good dwelling,

(the dwelling) of 'uthras,

Bestir yourself!

Don your garment of glory

And set on your living klila.

Rise! inhabit the Škintas

Amongst the 'uthras, your brethren.

As you have learned,

praise your first Home;

And curse this place,

the house of your fostering;

For (during) the years that you did spend therein

Every day the Seven were your enemies,

The Seven were your enemies

and the Twelve beset you with persecution.

Renowned is Life and victorious,

And victorious the man who has gone thither.

Prayer 95

Her Sunday, her kušṭa and her alms

Bear witness for the soul.

Ye will be her witnesses

And will pass her through at the toll-house.

Prayer 96 (Left Ginza 3.2)

I am provided and provisioned:

'Uthras of light equipped me.

I am provisioned;

for Life provided for me.

And I am equipped by 'uthras of light.

They provided me with provision of Truth (kušṭa)

I lifted mine eyes to heaven

and my soul waited on the house of life.

And the life who heard my cry

sent toward me a deliverer.

The deliverer who came to me

brought me that which was lovely;

he opened out a robe and showed me its radiance

and I cast off the stinking body.

he grasped me with the palm of his right hand

and led me over the waters of death.

over the waters of death

he brought me and led me onward;

in the likeness of life

he supported me.

Life supported life,

life found its own.

Its own self did life find

and my soul found that for which it had looked.

Renowned is life

and victorious the man who went hence.

Prayer 97

He rose and took me with him

and did not leave me in the perishable dwelling.

Prayer 98 (Left Ginza 3.7)

The day on which the soul goes forth,

on the day that the perfected one ascends,

on the day that the soul issues from below

the spheres of death, of contention,

strife was thrown into the earth.

Ruha's slaves sit bewailing

and the Seven sit in consternation.

The robe of the stars is lent

and dust is cast on ruha's head.

The hell-beasts weep

and the demons of purgatories are panic-stricken.

The being who brought me hither,

who brought me that which was beautiful,

put on me a robe,

clothed me in a robe of radiance,

in a wrapping of light he covered me.

He set on (my head) a klila of ether

and (gave me) of that which life bestows on the 'uthras.

He set me up amongst 'uthras

and stood me up amidst the perfected (souls).

A klila of ether he set on my head,

and gloriously he brought me forth from the world.

Life supported life,

life found its own,

its own did life find,

and my soul found that for which it had looked.

Renowned is life and victorious,

and victorious the man who went thither.

Prayer 99

Ye are set up and raised up, my chosen ones,

by the word and certitude that came to you

the word and the certitude that came to the good,

the true word which came to believers.

my chosen, ye sought and ye found,

moreover ye shall seek and ye shall find.

ye sought and found, my chosen ones,

as the first (souls?) sought and found.

you are victorious, Manda ḏ-Hiia.

and you bring to victory all who love you.

and life is victorious.

[here recite #70.]

Prayer 100

In a building which life builds,

good trees flourish.

Fragrant is the perfume of the trees

with the perfume of Manda ḏ-Hiia

which pervads them.

[here recite "Blessed and praised be Life"

of Shem son of Noah,

and #72.]

Prayer 101

The Life has founded a dwelling,

and radiance dawned

in the sublime ether!

I and my brethren, the 'uthras,

have set out every good thing,

have set out the allotted portion of the great (life):

We have offered it up in purity

to the place of light.

Prayer 102

The building that life builds

will never come to nought.

[repeat this hymn after you have partaken of the communion and then say #103.]

Prayer 103

Darkness is crushed back into the dark

and light is set up in its place.

The life has accepted your prayer,

the 'uthras have accepted your praise

the oblation is assigned to its lord,

and bounty to him who gives it.

This soul of N, and the souls of this masiqta

rest at the great place of light and the everlasting abode.

And life is victorious.

[here recite #63

and lift your hand for the masiqta and pray a prayer for yourself.

and life is victorious.]