Translated by James Brashler, Peter A. Dirkse, and Douglas M. Parrott
"My father, yesterday you promised me that you would bring
my mind into the eighth and afterwards you would bring me into
the ninth. You said that this is the order of the tradition."
"My son, indeed this is the order. But the promise was according
to human nature. For I told you when I initiated the promise,
I said, 'If you hold in mind each one of the steps.' After I had
received the spirit through the power, I set forth the action
for you. Indeed, the understanding dwells in you; in me (it is)
as though the power were pregnant. For when I conceived from the
fountain that flowed to me, I gave birth."
"My father, you have spoken every word well to me. But I
am amazed at this statement that you have just made. For you said,
'The power that is in me'."
He said, "I gave birth to it (the power), as children are
born."
"Then, my father, I have many brothers, if I am to be numbered
among the offspring."
"Right, my son! This good thing is numbered by ... (3 lines
missing) ... and [...] at all times. Therefore, my son, it is
necessary for you to recognize your brothers and to honor them
rightly and properly, because they come from the same father.
For each generation I have called. I have named it, because they
were offspring like these sons."
"Then, my father, do they have (a) day?"
"My son, they are spiritual ones. For they exist as forces
that grow other souls. Therefore I say that they are immortal."
"Your word is true; it has no refutation from now on. My
father, begin the discourse on the eighth and the ninth, and include
me also with my brothers."
"Let us pray, my son, to the father of the universe, with
your brothers who are my sons, that he may give the spirit of
eloquence."
"How do they pray, my father, when joined with the generations?
I want to obey, my father."
(2 lines missing) ... But it is not [...]. Nor is it a [...].
But he is satisfied with her [...] him [...]. And it is right
for you to remember the progress that came to you as wisdom in
the books, my son. Compare yourself to the early years of life.
As children (do), you have posed senseless, unintelligent questions."
"My father, the progress that has come to me now, and the
foreknowledge, according to the books, that has come to me, exceeding
the deficiency - these things are foremost in me."
"My son, when you understand the truth of your statement,
you will find your brothers, who are my sons, praying with you."
"My father, I understand nothing else except the beauty
that came to me in the books."
"This is what you call the beauty of the soul, the edification
that came to you in stages. May the understanding come to you,
and you will teach."
"I have understood, my father, each one of the books. And
especially the ... (2 lines missing) ... which is in [...]."
"My son, [...] in praises from those who extolled them."
"My father, from you I will receive the power of the discourse
that you will give. As it was told to both (of us), let us pray,
my father."
"My son, what is fitting is to pray to God with all our mind
and all our heart and our soul, and to ask him that the gift of
the eighth extend to us, and that each one receive from him what
is his. Your part, then, is to understand; my own is to be able
to deliver the discourse from the fountain that flows to me."
"Let us pray, my father: I call upon you, who rules over
the kingdom of power, whose word comes as (a) birth of light.
And his words are immortal. They are eternal and unchanging. He
is the one whose will begets life for the forms in every place.
His nature gives form to substance. By him, the souls of the eighth
and the angels are moved ... (2 lines missing) ... those that
exist. His providence extends to everyone [...] begets everyone.
He is the one who [...] the aeon among spirits. He created everything.
He who is self-contained cares for everything. He is perfect,
the invisible God to whom one speaks in silence - his image is
moved when it is directed, and it governs - the one mighty power,
who is exalted above majesty, who is better than the honored (ones),
Zoxathazo a oo ee ooo eee oooo ee oooooo ooooo oooooo uuuuuu oooooooooooo
ooo Zozazoth.
"Lord, grant us a wisdom from your power that reaches us,
so that we may describe to ourselves the vision of the eighth
and the ninth. We have already advanced to the seventh, since
we are pious and walk in your law. And your will we fulfill always.
For we have walked in your way, and we have renounced [...], so
that your vision may come. Lord, grant us the truth in the image.
Allow us through the spirit to see the form of the image that
has no deficiency, and receive the reflection of the pleroma from
us through our praise.
"And acknowledge the spirit that is in us. For from you
the universe received soul. For from you, the unbegotten one,
the begotten one came into being. The birth of the self-begotten
one is through you, the birth of all begotten things that exist.
Receive from us these spiritual sacrifices, which we send to you
with all our heart and our soul and all our strength. Save that
which is in us and grant us the immortal wisdom."
"Let us embrace each other affectionately, my son. Rejoice
over this! For already from them the power, which is light, is
coming to us. For I see! I see indescribable depths. How shall
I tell you, my son? [...] from the [...] the places. How shall
I describe the universe? I am Mind, and I see another Mind, the
one that moves the soul! I see the one that moves me from pure
forgetfulness. You give me power! I see myself! I want to speak!
Fear restrains me. I have found the beginning of the power that
is above all powers, the one that has no beginning. I see a fountain
bubbling with life. I have said, my son, that I am Mind. I have
seen! Language is not able to reveal this. For the entire eighth,
my son, and the souls that are in it, and the angels, sing a hymn
in silence. And I, Mind, understand."
"What is the way to sing a hymn through it (silence)?"
"Have you become such that you cannot be spoken to?"
"I am silent, my father. I want to sing a hymn to you while
I am silent."
"Then sing it, for I am Mind."
"I understand Mind, Hermes, who cannot be interpreted, because
he keeps within himself. And I rejoice, my father, because I see
you smiling. And the universe rejoices. Therefore, there is no
creature that will lack your life. For you are the lord of the
citizens in every place. Your providence protects. I call you
'father', 'aeon of the aeons', 'great divine spirit'. And by a
spirit he gives rain upon everyone. What do you say to me, my
father, Hermes?"
"Concerning these things, I do not say anything, my son.
For it is right before God that we keep silent about what is hidden."
"Trismegistus, let not my soul be deprived of the great divine
vision. For everything is possible for you as master of the universe."
"Return to <praising>, my son, and sing while you are
silent. Ask what you want in silence."
What he had finished praising, he shouted, "Father Trismegistus!
What shall I say? We have received this light. And I myself see
this same vision in you. And I see the eighth, and the souls that
are in it, and the angels singing a hymn to the ninth and its
powers. And I see him who has the power of them all, creating
those <that are> in the spirit."
"It is advantageous from now on, that we keep silence in
a reverent posture. Do not speak about the vision from now on.
It is proper to sing a hymn to the father until the day to quit
(the) body."
"What you sing, my father, I too want to sing."
"I am singing a hymn within myself. While you rest yourself,
be active in praise. For you have found what you seek."
"But is it proper, my father, that I praise because I am
filled in my heart?"
"What is proper is your praise that you will sing to God,
so that it might be written in this imperishable book."
"I will offer up the praise in my heart, as I pray to the
end of the universe and the beginning of the beginning, to the
object of man's quest, the immortal discovery, the begetter of
light and truth, the sower of reason, the love of immortal life.
No hidden word will be able to speak about you, Lord. Therefore,
my mind wants to sing a hymn to you daily. I am the instrument
of your spirit; Mind is your plectrum. And your counsel plucks
me. I see myself! I have received power from you. For your love
has reached us."
"Right, my son."
"Grace! After these things, I give thanks by singing a hymn
to you. For I have received life from you, when you made me wise.
I praise you. I call your name that is hidden within me: a o ee
o eee ooo iii oooo ooooo ooooo uuuuuu oo ooooooooo ooooooooo oo.
You are the one who exists with the spirit. I sing a hymn to you
reverently."
"My son, write this book for the temple at Diospolis in
hieroglyphic characters, entitling it 'The Eighth Reveals the
Ninth.'"
"I will do it, my <father>, as you command now."
"My <son>, write the language of the book on steles
of turquoise. My son, it is proper to write this book on steles
of turquoise, in hieroglyphic characters. For Mind himself has
become overseer of these. Therefore, I command that this teaching
be carved on stone, and that you place it in my sanctuary. Eight
guardians guard it with [...] of the Sun. The males on the right
are frog-faced, and the females on the left are cat-faced. And
put a square milk-stone at the base of the turquoise tablets,
and write the name on the azure stone tablet in hieroglyphic characters.
My son, you will do this when I am in Virgo, and the sun is in
the first half of the day, and fifteen degrees have passed by
me."
"My father, everything that you say I will do eagerly."
"And write an oath in the book, lest those who read the
book bring the language into abuse, and not (use it) to oppose
the acts of fate. Rather, they should submit to the law of God,
without having transgressed at all, but in purity asking God for
wisdom and knowledge. And he who will not be begotten at the start
by God comes to be by the general and guiding discourses. He will
not be able to read the things written in this book, although
his conscience is pure within him, since he does not do anything
shameful, nor does he consent to it. Rather, by stages he advances
and enters into the way of immortality. And thus he enters into
the understanding of the eighth that reveals the ninth."
"So shall I do it, my father."
"This is the oath: I make him who will read this holy book
swear by heaven and earth, and fire and water, and seven rulers
of substance, and the creating spirit in them, and the <unbegotten>
God, and the self-begotten one, and him who has been begotten,
that he will guard the things that Hermes has said. And those
who keep the oath, God will be reconciled with them and everyone
whom we have named. But wrath will come to each one of those who
violate the oath. This is the perfect one who is, my son."
